Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0466 |
| Title: | Coronary heart disease after prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine, 1944-45 |
| Author(s): | Roseboom TJ, Van Der Meulen JH, Osmond C, Barker DJP, Ravelli AC, Schroeder-Tanka JM, van Montfrans GA, Michels RP, Bleker OP |
| Reference: | Heart. 2000 Dec;84(6):595-8 |
| Place of Study: | Netherland |
| Abstract: | The participants were singletons born alive between November 1943 and February 1947 for whom detailed birth records were available. The prevalence of coronary heart disease was compared between those exposed to famine in late gestation (n = 120), in mid-gestation (n = 108), or in early gestation (n = 68), and those born in the year before the famine or those conceived in the year after the famine (non-exposed subjects, n = 440). The prevalence of coronary heart disease was higher in those exposed in early gestation than in non-exposed people (8.8% v 3.2%; odds ratio adjusted for sex 3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1 to 8.1). The prevalence was not increased in those exposed in mid gestation (0.9%) or late gestation (2.5%). People with coronary heart disease tended to have lower birth weights (3215 g v 3352 g, p = 0.13), and smaller head circumferences at birth (32.2 cm v 32.8 cm, p = 0.05), but the effect of exposure to famine in early gestation was independent of birth weight (adjusted odds ratio 3.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 8.8). Although the numbers are very small, this is the first evidence suggesting that maternal malnutrition during early gestation contributes to the occurrence of coronary heart disease in the offspring. |
| Keyword(s): | birthweight, coronary heart disease, famine |
| Discussion: | No discussion mentioned for this entry |
| See Also: | No related entries mentioned for this entry |
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