title: Impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy on microvasculature in childhood. The Generation R Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fetal exposure to maternal smoking is associated with an adverse cardiovascular risk profile in later life. Early microvasculature adaptations might be part of the underlying mechanisms for these associations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the influence of maternal smoking during pregnancy on retinal vessel calibers in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a population-based prospective cohort study among 3564 school-age children. Maternal smoking patterns during pregnancy were assessed by questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the median age of 6.0 years (95% range 5.8, 8.0 years), we measured childhood retinal vessel calibers from retinal photographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were observed in childhood retinal arteriolar and venular calibers among offspring from mothers who smoked in the first trimester and mothers who continued smoking throughout pregnancy, as compared to mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy. Also, no dose-dependent associations of the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy with childhood retinal vessel calibers were present.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal smoking during pregnancy did not influence childhood retinal arteriolar and venular calibers. The mechanisms linking fetal smoke exposure with cardiovascular risk factors in later life may include other mechanisms than structural microvasculature adaptations.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Olta
authors: O
authors: Gishti
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: v.jaddoe@erasmusmc.nl.
authors: Vincent W V
authors: VW
authors: Jaddoe
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Janine F
authors: JF
authors: Felix
authors: Department of Neonatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Irwin
authors: I
authors: Reiss
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Steegers
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Albert
authors: A
authors: Hofman
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Memory Aging & Cognition Centre (MACC), National University Health System, Singapore.
authors: Mohammad Kamran
authors: MK
authors: Ikram
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Romy
authors: R
authors: Gaillard
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Maternal smoking; Pediatrics; Retinal vessel calibers