title: Aortic Elastic Properties in Preschool Children Born Preterm.
abstract: Preterm birth predisposes children to the development of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. The aim of this study was to characterize elastic properties of the aorta at preschool age and test the hypothesis that prematurity is associated with decreased aortic distensibility and increased stiffness, both of which are predictors of increased cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  
  In an observational study of 76 five- to seven-year-old children born at a gestational age <32 weeks and 79 term-born controls, elastic parameters of the ascending and descending abdominal aorta were determined noninvasively by means of M mode echocardiographic tracings and calculated using computerized wall contour analysis. Compared with children born at term, the preterm group showed significantly reduced distensibility and increased stiffness of the descending abdominal aorta. These results remained significant under multivariable adjustment for birth weight z score, maternal smoking in pregnancy, maternal education, family history of cardiovascular disease, breastfeeding, childhood nutrition, and current body mass index z score (multivariable odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals 5.1, 1.7-15.9; P=0.005 and 2.8, 1.0-7.9; P=0.046, respectively). Further adjustment for intravenous lipid therapy attenuated the strength of association. Elastic properties of the ascending aorta did not differ between the 2 study groups.
  
  
  
  Children born preterm are characterized by decreased elastic properties of the descending abdominal aorta potentially attributable to impaired viscoelastic properties of and lipid damage to the aorta. Clinical follow-up of preterm infants with a focus on aortic elastic properties may be useful for tailoring early prevention programs and counteracting cardiovascular risk in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.).
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Odri Komazec
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.).
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Posod
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.).
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwienbacher
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.).
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Resch
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.).
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pupp Peglow
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.).
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiechl
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.).
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.). ursula.kohlendorfer@i-med.ac.at.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kiechl-Kohlendorfer
mesh_terms: D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
keywords: aorta; cardiovascular disease; elasticity; follow-up studies; pediatrics