Body size at birth and coronary heart disease-related hospital care in adult men - findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.
We investigated, among those who had been hospitalized at least once due to coronary heart disease (CHD), the relationship between ponderal index (PI, birthweight/length3) at birth, a measure of thinness, and the age at first hospitalization due to CHD, the number of CHD-related hospital care episodes, and cost of CHD-related hospital care from young adulthood to old age.



Data from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study included 964 men born in Helsinki, Finland during 1934-1944, who had been hospitalized due to CHD and had birth anthropometrics data. PI (kg/m3) was categorized into low (<25.0), medium (25.0-27.5), and high (>27.5). CHD-related hospital care data were available from 1971 to 2013. We observed an earlier onset of (p = .014 for linearity) and a higher rate of CHD-related hospital care episodes among those in the lowest PI group (incidence rate ratio: 1.35 [95% confidence interval: 1.16-1.59, p < .001]), compared to the highest PI group. CHD-related hospital care costs in the lowest PI group were 25% (p = .001, 4% to 46%) higher compared to those in the highest PI group.



Thinness at birth is associated with earlier onset, higher prevalence, and higher accumulated costs of CHD-related hospital in-patient care among men who developed CHD. KEY MESSAGES Findings from this large birth cohort indicate that the onset of coronary heart disease (CHD)-related hospital in-patient care occurred at younger age during the 42-year time period among men who were born thin. Lower ponderal index (PI) was associated with a higher rate of CHD-related hospital in-patient care during the time period. We observed a linear increase in CHD-related hospital in-patient care costs across PI groups.
a Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences , University of Jyväskylä , Jyväskylä , Finland.|b Folkhälsan Research Center , Helsinki , Finland.
Monika E
ME
von Bonsdorff
a Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences , University of Jyväskylä , Jyväskylä , Finland.|b Folkhälsan Research Center , Helsinki , Finland.
Mikaela B
MB
von Bonsdorff
c Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research Unit, School of Pharmacy , University of Eastern Finland , Kuopio , Finland.
Janne
J
Martikainen
b Folkhälsan Research Center , Helsinki , Finland.|d Chronic Disease Prevention Unit , National Institute for Health and Welfare , Helsinki , Finland.
Minna
M
Salonen
d Chronic Disease Prevention Unit , National Institute for Health and Welfare , Helsinki , Finland.|e Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.|f PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu , Oulu , Finland.
Eero
E
Kajantie
g Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care , University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.|h Vasa Central Hospital , Vasa , Finland.
Hannu
H
Kautiainen
b Folkhälsan Research Center , Helsinki , Finland.|d Chronic Disease Prevention Unit , National Institute for Health and Welfare , Helsinki , Finland.|g Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care , University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.|h Vasa Central Hospital , Vasa , Finland.
Johan G
JG
Eriksson
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D049628:Body Size / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013851:Thinness / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*
Age of onset; aging; birthweight; cardiovascular disease; coronary heart disease