Early life growth and hemostatic factors: the Barry Caerphilly Growth study

Am J Epidemiol. 2008 Jul 15;168(2):179-87. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwn106. Epub 2008 May 20.

Abstract

Associations between early life growth trajectories and a range of adult (aged approximately 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 (beta 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 (beta = -1.88, 95% CI: -3.84, 0.09), factor VIII (beta = -2.58, 95% CI: -4.07, -0.45), and von Willebrand factor antigen (beta = -4.07, 95% CI: -7.25, -0.89). Birth length was inversely associated with fibrinogen (beta = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.14, -0.01). Evidence was weaker for an inverse association of immediate height velocity with factor VIII (beta = -2.16, 95% CI: -4.62, 0.29) and von Willebrand factor antigen (beta = -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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antigens / blood
  • Birth Weight / physiology*
  • Blood Coagulation Factors / analysis*
  • Body Height / physiology*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Factor VII / analysis
  • Factor VIII / analysis
  • Female
  • Fibrinogen / analysis
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Growth / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator / blood
  • von Willebrand Factor / analysis

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Blood Coagulation Factors
  • Von Willebrand antigen
  • von Willebrand Factor
  • Factor VII
  • Factor VIII
  • Fibrinogen
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator