This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Extremely low birth weight increases dysglycemia risk
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Adults who were born with extremely low birth weight have an increased risk for greater body fat, lower lean mass and dysglycemia compared with adults who were born with normal weight.
Katherine M. Morrison, MD, associate professor in the department of pediatrics at McMaster University and co-director of the Metabolism and Childhood Obesity Research program at McMaster in Ontario, Canada, and colleagues evaluated 100 adults who were born with extremely low birth weight (501-1,000 g at birth) and 89 adults born with normal birth weight between 1977 and 1982. The researchers sought to compare body composition, glycemia, lipids and blood pressure between the two groups.
The extremely low birth weight group was examined at 3, 5, and 8 years of age, and during adolescence (12-16 years) and young adulthood (22-26 years). The normal birth weight group was recruited at age 8 and was examined during adolescence and young adulthood. Results of the study were collected when participants were mean age 31.8 years.
Compared with the normal birth weight group, the extremely low birth weight group had lower height (P < .001), lower lean mass index (P = .018), higher body fat (P = .004), higher systolic BP (P = .004) and higher diastolic BP (P = .02). The prevalence of hypertension was greater in the extremely low birth weight group (35%) compared with the normal weight group (23%; P = .07).
The prevalence of dysglycemia was higher in the extremely low birth weight group (26%) compared with the normal birth weight group (8%; P = .003) as was the prevalence of prediabetes (14.6% vs. 4%; P = .04). The risk for dysglycemia was increased by 4.03-fold in the extremely low birth weight group compared with the normal birth weight group.
“Adults with extremely preterm birth have differences in body composition — increased fat mass and lower lean mass — and increased risk of dysglycemia,” Morrison told Endocrine Today. “This brings important clinical implications for physicians caring for individuals born premature as identification of prediabetes early may allow interventions that could prevent progression to diabetes. A high index of suspicion is important as they do not have a higher BMI — what we usually base our decision on when screening dysglycemia. Those caring for children born premature should also focus on healthy lifestyle for these children.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts