Early life growth and hemostatic factors

Abstract

Associations between early life growth trajectories and a range of adult (aged ∼25 years) hemostatic factors were assessed in the Barry Caerphilly Growth study (N = 517) in South Wales, 1974-1999. Associations of birth weight, birth length, and weight and height velocities during three periods ("immediate": 0-<5 months, "infant": 5 months-<1 year 9 months, and "childhood": 1 year 9 months-5 years) with adult levels of hemostatic factors were assessed. Birth weight was inversely associated with fibrinogen (β per 1-unit change in z score = -0.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.15, -0.02). Immediate weight velocity was inversely associated with factor VII (β = -1.88, 95% CI: -3.84, 0.09), factor VIII (β = -2.58, 95% CI: -4.07, -0.45), and von Willebrand factor antigen (β = -4.07, 95% CI: -7.25, -0.89). Birth length was inversely associated with fibrinogen (β = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.14, -0.01). Evidence was weaker for an inverse association of immediate height velocity with factor VIII (β = -2.16, 95% CI: -4.62, 0.29) and von Willebrand factor antigen (β = -2.85, 95% CI: -6.52, 0.81). Childhood height velocity was positively associated with D-dimer (ratio of geometric means = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.23). Results support the view that the immediate postnatal period may be particularly important, possibly through impaired liver development and/or infection in early life, in determining cardiovascular disease risk. © The Author 2008. Published by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved.