Early Vascular Aging in the Young : Influence of Birth Weight and Prematurity

• Longitudinal data from cohort studies show that early life factors such as low birth weight are associated with the development of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Moreover, the majority of published studies concur that blood pressure is higher in adolescents and young adults with a history of low birth weight. Although the precise mechanisms linking early life factors with increased future cardiovascular risk are unclear, the architecture of the vascular system is programmed in utero and the majority of elastin, the major structural component underlying arterial wall elasticity, is synthesized and deposited during this time. Therefore, the arterial system has been a major focus of investigations aimed toward improving our understanding of the natural history of hypertension and future cardiovascular risk. A number of studies have now described properties relating to arterial structure and function in children, adolescents, and young adults, with a history of low birth weight, due to being either small for gestational age or premature. While the combination of prematurity and intrauterine growth retardation resulting in a small for gestational age phenotype appears to be associated with the most marked impairments in vascular structure and function, the small for gestational age phenotype, followed by a rapid "catch-up" growth also appears harmful. Further studies are needed to understand the long-term consequences of cardiovascular health of being born under adverse conditions, especially when post-natal growth trajectories are taken into account.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Arterial stiffness

Birth weight

Blood pressure

Elastin

Endothelial function

Hypertension

Intrauterine growth retardation

Prematurity

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