Key result
Preterm birth was associated with significantly higher adjusted pulse wave velocity z-scores compared to full-term controls (0.703 vs -0.19; P=0.027), indicating increased arterial stiffness.
Why the study?
Preterm birth is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and other chronic diseases, but its associations with ambulatory blood pressure levels and arterial stiffness during childhood and adolescence needed investigation.
Does preterm birth increase ambulatory blood pressure and arterial stiffness in childhood and adolescence?
Case-Control (n=78)
Does preterm birth increase ambulatory blood pressure and arterial stiffness in childhood and adolescence?
Absolute Event Rate: 0.703% vs -0.19%
p-value: p=0.027
Preterm birth is associated with higher nocturnal blood pressure and increased arterial stiffness in childhood and adolescence, suggesting a need for early screening and obesity prevention.
Preterm birth was associated with higher arterial stiffness in youth independent of BP and BMI; leaves open whether this warrants targeted monitoring or prospective trials.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Preterm birth has been associated with increased risk for developing hypertension and other chronic diseases during childhood and adulthood. The aim of the current prospective case-control study was to investigate the associations of preterm birth with ambulatory blood pressure (BP) levels and arterial stiffness during childhood and adolescence. METHODS: The study population included 52 children and adolescents born preterm and 26 healthy children born full term with similar age. The participants underwent ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) and assessment of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). RESULTS: Preterm children presented higher night SBP z score values compared to controls, but did not differ in other ABPM parameters, office peripheral and central SBPs. Nocturnal hypertension was found in 78% (7/9) of ex-preterm children with ambulatory BP hypertension. Preterm birth was an independent predictor of PWV z score adjusted for heart rate. Estimated marginal means for PWV z score adjusted for age, sex, presence of kidney disease at birth, office BPs, night BPs, central SBP, and BMI z scores were significantly higher in preterm individuals compared to controls (0.703, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.431-0.975 versus -0.19, 95% CI -0.574-0.536, respectively, P = 0.027). Preterm children who were overweight presented the highest values of night SBP and PWV z score. CONCLUSION: Preterm birth is associated with higher nocturnal BP and increased arterial stiffness in childhood and adolescence. Increased awareness for detection of hypertension and prevention of obesity in childhood could prevent future adverse cardiovascular outcomes in preterm individuals.
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Chainoglou et al. (2022) conducted a case-control in Preterm birth (n=78). Preterm birth vs. Full-term birth was evaluated on Pulse wave velocity (PWV) z score adjusted for age, sex, kidney disease at birth, BPs, and BMI z scores (p=0.027). Preterm birth was associated with significantly higher adjusted pulse wave velocity z-scores compared to full-term controls (0.703 vs -0.19; P=0.027), indicating increased arterial stiffness.
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