The placental origins of sudden cardiac death
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Most sudden cardiac deaths are due to cardiac arrhythmias, and abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system could underlie them. There is growing evidence that coronary heart disease is associated with alterations of fetal development as a result of variations in the processes of placentation that control fetal nutrition. We hypothesized that placental size would be associated with sudden cardiac death. METHODS: We examined sudden cardiac death within the Helsinki Birth Cohort of 13 345 men and women. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-seven (2.7%) men and 47 (0.7%) women had sudden unexplained cardiac death outside hospital. Sudden death was associated with a thin placenta, the hazard ratio being 1.47 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-1.93, P = 0.006] for each g/cm(2) decrease in thickness. Sudden death was independently associated with poor educational attainment (P < 0.0001). Both of these associations were independent of socio-economic status in later life. CONCLUSION: Sudden death may be initiated by impaired development of the autonomic nervous system in utero as a result of shallow invasion of the spiral arteries in the maternal endometrium and consequent fetal malnutrition.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Sudden unexplained cardiac death outside hospital was associated with a thin placenta, with a hazard ratio of 1.47 (95% CI 1.11-1.93, P = 0.006) for each gram/cm2 decrease in thickness.
“Sudden unexplained cardiac death outside hospital was associated with a thin placenta, and for each gram/cm 2 decrease in thickness the hazard ratio was 1.47 (95% C.I. 1.11-1.93,P=0.006) (30).”
From Placental Origins of Chronic Disease (2016) · cites this paper as [30]
A high placental/birth weight ratio also predicted sudden death among women, but not men.
“A high placental/birth weight ratio also predicted sudden death among women, but not men.”
From Placental Origins of Chronic Disease (2016) · cites this paper as [30]
Cites
Trajectories of growth among children who have coronary events as adults
Barker, D. J. P., Osmond, C., Forsén, T. J., Kajantie, E., & Eriksson, J. G. (2005) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmoa044160 · Cited by 1,517 · see citing works
Self-citationEpidemiology of Sudden Cardiac Death: Clinical and Research Implications
Chugh, S. S., Reinier, K., Teodorescu, C., Evanado, A., Kehr, E. L., Samara, M. A., Mariani, R., Gunson, K., & Jui, J. (2008) · Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases · doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2008.06.003 · Cited by 732 · see citing works
Effects of prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine on adult disease in later life: an overview
Roseboom, T. J., van der Meulen, J., Ravelli, A. C. J., Osmond, C., Barker, D. J. P., & Bleker, O. P. (2001) · Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology · doi:10.1016/s0303-7207(01)00721-3 · Cited by 646 · see citing works
Self-citationBoys live dangerously in the womb
Eriksson, J. G., Kajantie, E., Osmond, C., Thornburg, K., & Barker, D. J. P. (2010) · American Journal of Human Biology · doi:10.1002/ajhb.20995 · Cited by 590 · see citing works
Self-citationDevelopmental origins of chronic disease
Barker, D. J. (2012) · Public Health · doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2011.11.014 · Cited by 399 · see citing works
Self-citationPajunen, P., Koukkunen, H., Ketonen, M., Jerkkola, T., Immonen‐Räihä, P., K??rj??-Koskenkari, P., nen, M. M. H., Niemel, M., Kuulasmaa, K., ki, P. P. A., et al. (2005) · European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation · doi:10.1097/00149831-200504000-00007 · Cited by 334 · see citing works
The surface area of the placenta and hypertension in the offspring in later life
Barker, D. J. P., Thornburg, K. L., Osmond, C., Kajantie, E., & Eriksson, J. G. (2010) · The International Journal of Developmental Biology · doi:10.1387/ijdb.082760db · Cited by 212 · see citing works
Self-citationMusser, E. D., Backs, R. W., Schmitt, C. F., Ablow, J. C., Measelle, J. R., & Nigg, J. T. (2011) · Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology · doi:10.1007/s10802-011-9499-1 · Cited by 179 · see citing works
Cardiorespiratory Fitness Is Related to the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
Laukkanen, J. A., Mäkikallio, T. H., Rauramaa, R., Kiviniemi, V. V., Ronkainen, K., & Kurl, S. (2010) · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2010.05.043 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
Barker, D. J. P., Gelow, J., Thornburg, K., Osmond, C., Kajantie, E., & Eriksson, J. G. (2010) · European Journal of Heart Failure · doi:10.1093/eurjhf/hfq069 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Self-citationRapola, J., Virtamo, J. R. K., Korhonen, P. A., Haapakoski, J., Hartman, A. M., Edwards, B. K., & Heinonen, O. P. (1997) · European Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1023/a:1007380408729 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
Mother's body size and placental size predict coronary heart disease in men
Eriksson, J. G., Kajantie, E., Thornburg, K. L., Osmond, C., & Barker, D. J. P. (2011) · European Heart Journal · doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehr147 · Cited by 125 · see citing works
Self-citationMaternal undernutrition during mid-pregnancy in sheep: variable effects on placental growth
McCrabb, G. J., Egan, A. R., & Hosking, B. J. (1992) · The Journal of Agricultural Science · doi:10.1017/s002185960006809x · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Burkhardt, T., Schäffer, L., Schneider, C., Zimmermann, R., & Kurmanavičius, J. (2005) · European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology · doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2005.10.032 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Early life predictors of the physiological stress response later in life
Kajantie, E., & Räikkönen, K. (2009) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.11.013 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Self-citationEarly identification of risk factors for sudden cardiac death
Chugh, S. S. (2010) · Nature Reviews Cardiology · doi:10.1038/nrcardio.2010.52 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
Reinier, K., Stecker, E. C., Vickers, C. A., Gunson, K., Jui, J., & Chugh, S. S. (2006) · Resuscitation · doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2005.11.018 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Novel insights into the role of the sympathetic nervous system in cardiac arrhythmogenesis
Volders, P. G. A. (2010) · Heart Rhythm · doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2010.06.003 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Birth Weight Is a Significant Risk Factor for Incident Atrial Fibrillation
Conen, D., Tedrow, U. B., Cook, N. R., Buring, J. E., & Albert, C. M. (2010) · Circulation · doi:10.1161/circulationaha.110.947978 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Epidemiology and mechanisms of sudden cardiac death.
Zipes, D. P. (2005) · PubMed · Cited by 49 · see citing works
The maternal circulation and placental shape
Burton, G. J., & Jauniaux, E. R. M. (2010) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511933806.014 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Early Developmental Conditioning of Later Health and Disease: Physiology or Pathophysiology?
Hanson, M. A., & Gluckman, P. D. (2014) · Physiological Reviews · doi:10.1152/physrev.00029.2013 · Cited by 1,188 · see citing works
Placental Origins of Chronic Disease
Burton, G. J., Fowden, A. L., & Thornburg, K. L. (2016) · Physiological Reviews · doi:10.1152/physrev.00029.2015 · Cited by 717 · see citing works
Self-citationGabory, A., Roseboom, T. J., Moore, T., Moore, L. G., & Junien, C. (2013) · Biology of Sex Differences · doi:10.1186/2042-6410-4-5 · Cited by 344 · see citing works
Placental programming of chronic diseases, cancer and lifespan: A review
Barker, D. J. P., & Thornburg, K. L. (2013) · Placenta · doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2013.07.063 · Cited by 276 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Programming Power of the Placenta
Sferruzzi-Perri, A. N., & Camm, E. J. (2016) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2016.00033 · Cited by 223 · see citing works
Groom, K. M., & David, A. L. (2018) · American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2017.11.565 · Cited by 170 · see citing works
Groom, K., McCowan, L., Mackay, L., Lee, A., Gardener, G., Unterscheider, J., Sekar, R., Dickinson, J., Muller, P., Reid, R., et al. (2019) · BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology · doi:10.1111/1471-0528.15658 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Social Determinants of Placental Health and Future Disease Risks for Babies
Thornburg, K. L., Boone-Heinonen, J., & Valent, A. M. (2020) · Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/j.ogc.2019.11.002 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Self-citationHow to Build a Healthy Heart from Scratch
Thornburg, K. L. R., & Challis, J. R. G. (2014) · Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-1031-1_18 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Barker, D. J., Larsen, G., Osmond, C., Thornburg, K. L., Kajantie, E., & Eriksson, J. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Corresponding author
- Barker, D. J.
- Venue
- International Journal of Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2012-09-19
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1394-1399
- ISSN
- 0300-5771 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-3685
- OpenAlex
- W2119220380
- Cited by
- 93
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9
- FWCI
- 7.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- British Heart Foundation
- Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF12OC1016374)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias
- Keywords
- sudden cardiac death, placental thickness, placentation, fetal nutrition, autonomic nervous system development, cardiac arrhythmias, educational attainment, socioeconomic status, spiral artery invasion, maternal endometrium, coronary artery disease, fetal development
- MeSH terms
- Birth Weight, Coronary Disease, Female, Finland, Humans, Male, Placentation, Pregnancy, Socioeconomic Factors, Death, Sudden, Cardiac, Fetal Development, Fetal Nutrition Disorders
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
