Birth Weight and Cardiac Structure in Children
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. Epidemiologic studies have shown associations between impaired fetal growth and risk for coronary heart disease in adults. The underlying mechanisms are unknown. We investigated whether restricted intrauterine growth affects cardiac structure. METHODS. We performed echocardiography on 216 9-year-old children who were measured previously at birth. The diameter of the coronary left and right main branches was derived from the widest dimension; total coronary artery diameter was calculated by adding the diameters of the left and right coronary arteries. Aortic root diameter, left atrial diameter, left ventricular diameter, left ventricular outflow tract diameter, and left ventricular mass were measured. RESULTS. On average, children who had weighed less at birth had a smaller total coronary artery diameter, aortic root diameter, and left ventricular outflow tract diameter after adjustment for gender, gestational age, current height and weight, and maternal height and prepregnant weight. For each SD increase in birth weight, total coronary diameter rose by 0.10 mm, log aortic root diameter rose by 1.5%, and log left ventricular outflow tract diameter rose by 1.6%. CONCLUSION. Impaired fetal growth may have long-term effects on cardiac structure. This may help to explain why adults whose birth weight was low are at greater risk for coronary heart disease.
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A growth-restricted fetus has smaller coronary arteries, fewer but more immature cardiomyocytes, less elastin in the arteries, and fewer nephrons in the kidney.
“For example, a growth-restricted fetus has smaller coronary arteries (288), fewer but more immature cardiomyocytes (55,348,394), less elastin in the arteries (152, 362, 526), and fewer nephrons in the kidney (22,352).”
From Placental Origins of Chronic Disease (2016) · cites this paper as [288]
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References 22 · Cited by 72
- Authors
- Jiang, B., Godfrey, K. M., Martyn, C. N., & Gale, C. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Southampton (GB)
- MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- ORCID
- Godfrey, Keith M.
- Venue
- Pediatrics
- Publisher
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- Published
- 2006-02-01
- Volume
- 117
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- e257-e261
- ISSN
- 0031-4005 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-4275
- OpenAlex
- W2146594607
- Cited by
- 72
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 5.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- PEDIATRICS (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Function and Risk Factors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
- Keywords
- birth weight, fetal growth restriction, cardiac structure, coronary artery diameter, aortic root diameter, left ventricular outflow tract, left ventricular mass, left atrial diameter, childhood, coronary heart disease risk, low birth weight
- MeSH terms
- Aorta, Birth Weight, Child, Coronary Vessels, Echocardiography, Female, Heart, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Male
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