Key Points
- To examine the relationship between birth weight and endothelial function in children, taking into account traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
- Assessed 333 British children aged 9 to 11 years with recorded birth weight, maternal characteristics, and childhood cardiovascular risk factors.
- Measured endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation in the brachial artery using noninvasive ultrasound following forearm cuff occlusion and release.
- Birth weight demonstrated a significant, graded positive association with flow-mediated dilation (0.027 mm/kg; 95% CI, 0.003 to 0.051 mm/kg; P = .02).
- HDL cholesterol was inversely related to flow-mediated dilation (-0.067 mm/mmol; 95% CI, -0.021 to -0.113 mm/mmol; P = .005), whereas blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and salivary cotinine showed no relation.
- The association between birth weight and flow-mediated dilation persisted after adjusting for childhood body build, parity, cardiovascular risk factors, social class, and ethnicity.
Structured PICO
Is birth weight associated with flow-mediated dilation in 9- to 11-year-old children?
PPopulation333 British children aged 9 to 11 years
IInterventionBirth weight (observational exposure)
OOutcomeFlow-mediated dilation of the brachial arterysurrogate
Low birth weight is associated with impaired endothelial function in childhood, suggesting an early mechanism for long-term cardiovascular risk.