Adult Consequences of Extremely Preterm Birth: Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Risk Factors, Mechanisms, and Prevention Avenues

Abstract

Extremely preterm babies are exposed to various sources of injury during critical stages of development. The extremely preterm infant faces premature transition to ex utero physiology and undergoes adaptive mechanisms that may be deleterious in the long term because of permanent alterations in organ structure and function. Perinatal events can also directly cause structural injury. These disturbances induce morphologic and functional changes in their organ systems that might heighten their risks for later adult chronic diseases. This review examines the pathophysiology of programming of long-term health and diseases after preterm birth and associated perinatal risk factors.

Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases; Developmental origin of adult health and diseases; Hypertension; Inflammation; Metabolic syndrome; Oxygen; Parenteral nutrition; Preterm birth.