- 2023, Volume 54 - Number 3
- Published: August 7, 2023
Cardiovascular risk factors and hypertension at 5-6 years in children born with a gestational age ≤ 32 weeks
Filipa Urbano 1, Carla Simão 2, André M. Graça 3, 4, Margarida Abrantes 5, Alberto Berenguer 6
1 Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisboa, Portugal; 2 Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatais, Serviço de Neonatologia, Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisboa, Portugal; 3 Neonatology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal; 4 Academic Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal; 5 Clínica Universitária de Pediátrica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; 6 Serviço de Neonatologia, Departamento de Pediatria, Unidade Local Saúde Santa Maria, Lisboa; Clínica Universitária de Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa. Portugal
Filipa Urbano, Carla Simão, André M. Graça, Margarida Abrantes, Alberto Berenguer
La información completa de afiliaciones y autor de correspondencia está disponible en la versión original en PDF.
*Correspondence: Alberto Berenguer, Email not available
Abstract
Prematurity, low birth weight, being small for gestational age (SGA), fetal growth restriction (FGR), and admission on a neonatal intensive care unit are cardiovascular risk factors. The objective of this study was to analyze the proportion of patients with cardiovascular risk factors and hypertension at 5-6 years of age, in a cohort of children born very preterm (PTN). Observational, retrospective and cross-sectional study of children born with a gestational age ≤ 32 weeks, hospitalized in a level III neonatal unit, in Portugal, in 2015-2016, currently aged 5-6 years. FGR was identified by the obstetric team. SGA neonates were classified according to Fenton 2013 growth charts. Body mass index (BMI) was classified according to the World Health Organization charts for its z-score and blood pressure (BP) according to the European Society of Hypertension (2016). Thirty patients were included, with a mean age of 5.4 ± 0.6 years, 57% female. The mean gestational age was 29.2 ± 1.9 weeks, the proportion of FGR was 20% and of SGA 20%. At 5-6 years old, 20% presented an increased BMI, 60% an increased BP, and 17% an increased BMI and BP. BMI at 5-6 years was higher in females (U = 33,000; p = 0.02) and had an inverse correlation with birth weight percentile (r = 0.382; p = 0.04) and a positive correlation with BMI percentile at discharge from neonatology (r = 0.414; p = 0.02). No significant correlations for BP were found. In a population at risk, it is essential to promote cardiovascular health, allowing early interventions and prevention.
