Takeaway
- This study found no association of size at extremely preterm (EP, <26 weeks of gestation) birth with the presence of metabolic syndrome, body mass index (BMI) or central systolic blood pressure (SBP) in early adulthood, although an inverse association with BMI was found in the lower socioeconomic status (SES) group.
- Increased catch-up in weight from 2.5 to 6.0 years (not in preterm period nor in infancy) was associated with BMI and central SBP in early adulthood.
- Low birth weight and rapid catch-up in early childhood are associated with an increased cardiovascular risk in later life in general populations.
- However, evidence is limited and mixed on the long-term health effects of the growth trajectory from birth to full-term age in preterm infants.
- This study used longitudinal data from the EPICure study of 129 EP survivors up to 19 years in the UK and Ireland in 1995.
- The association of size at birth and growth trajectories in early life with determinants of cardiometabolic risks (metabolic syndrome, BMI and SBP) in early adulthood was evaluated.
- Funding: Medical Research Council UK.
- The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 8.7% for EP participants vs 3.7% for control participants (P=.240).
- EP participants with metabolic syndrome vs those without tended to have a smaller size at birth (difference in means: −0.55 standard deviation [SD]; P=.053) and a greater increase in weight z-scores from term to 2.5 years (difference in means: 1.00 SD; P=.094).
- BMI at 19 years was positively associated with change in weight z-scores in early childhood from 2.5 to 6.0 years (β, 1.03; P=.006).
- BMI at 19 years showed an inverse association with birthweight z-scores in the lower SES group (β, 1.79; P=.031).
- Central SBP at 19 years was positively associated with change in weight z-scores from 2.5 to 6.0 years (β, 1.75; P=.007).
- Participants lost to follow-up increased over time, and dropout was associated with markers of social disadvantage.
References
References
