High birth weight was associated with increased radial artery intima thickness but not with other investigated cardiovascular risk factors in adulthood

Abstract

Aim: This study investigated whether a high birth weight was associated with increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease when Swedish adults reached 34–40. Methods: We studied 27 subjects born at Uppsala University Hospital in 1975–1979, weighing at least 4500 g, and compared them with 27 controls selected by the Swedish National Board of Welfare with birth weights within ±1 standard deviations scores and similar ages and gender. The study included body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipid profile, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-frequency ultrasound measurements of intima-media thickness, intima thickness (IT) and intima:media ratio of the carotid and radial arteries. Results: Subjects with a high birth weight did not differ from controls with regard to BMI, blood pressure, lipid profile, high-sensitivity CRP, HbA1c or carotid artery wall dimensions. However, their radial artery intima thickness was 37% greater than the control group and their intima:media ratio was 44% higher. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that a high birth weight was associated with increased radial artery intima thickness, but not with other investigated cardiovascular risk factors, at 34–40 years of age. The clinical implications of these findings should be investigated further, especially in subjects born with a very high birth weight.