Low birth weight is associated with lower large artery compliance in asymptomatic young adults: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Purpose: Low birth weight, an indictor of intrauterine growth restriction, is associated with adult cardiovascular (CV) disease. Impaired arterial compliance is also an independent predictor of early vascular damage and related CV outcome. However, information is scant regarding the influence of birth weight on arterial compliance. This study assessed the hypothesis that low birth weight is related to impaired arterial compliance.

Methods: The study cohort consisted of 624 black and white subjects (29 % black, 43 % male) aged 25-44 years enrolled in the Bogalusa Heart Study. Birth weight and gestational age information on the study cohort were obtained from the Louisiana State birth certificates. Arterial compliance was assessed in terms of large artery compliance and small artery compliance by noninvasive radial artery pressure pulse contour analysis.

Results: White versus black subjects had higher birth weight (3.407 kg vs. 3.085 kg, p<0.0001) and higher large artery (15.5 mL/mmHg×10 vs. 14.4 mL/mmHg×10, p=0.002) and small artery (6.62 mL/mmHg×100 vs. 5.53 mL/mmHg×100, p <0.0001) compliances. In bivariate analysis, adjusting for race, gender and age, birth weight was associated positively with both large (correlation coefficients: r=0, 21, p<0.0001) and small artery compliances (r=0.15, p<0.001). However, in a multivariate regression model, adjusting for race, gender, age, body surface area, mean arterial pressure, triglycerides/HDL cholesterol ratio, HOMA-IR and smoking, birth weight was independently and positively associated with only large artery compliance (p=0.006).

Conclusions: These results suggest that low birth weight is adversely associated with CV risk in young adult life through early vascular damage.