Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0551 |
| Title: | Length of gestation is associated with mortality from cerebrovascular disease |
| Author(s): | Koupil I, Leon DA, Lithell HO, Osmond C, Barker DJ |
| Reference: | Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2005;59:473-474 |
| Place of Study: | Sweden |
| Abstract: | In a cohort of 14 193 men and women born in Uppsala in 1915�1929, the authors studied the associations of fetal growth rate and length of gestation with the risk of death from ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Sex specific z scores of birth weight for each week of gestation were calculated using the cohort as a reference. The hypothesised independent effects of fetal growth rate and length of gestation were studied by combining the z scores for birth weight for gestational age with the length of gestation in the same model. Analyses were restricted to singletons born at 30 or more completed weeks of gestation and 11 474 men and women were included in the multivariate analyses.
While higher rate of growth at any length of gestation was associated with a decreased risk of ischaemic heart disease, both higher rate of fetal growth and longer gestation were associated with a decreased risk of death from cerebrovascular disease . The risk of death from occlusive stroke in particular was decreased in subjects born after 36 or more weeks of gestation .
The effect of social characteristics at birth was particularly strong on mortality from cerebrovascular diseases, subjects born to families with lower social class being at a higher risk. The social characteristics in adulthood were more strongly associated with the risk of death from ischaemic heart disease. Adjustments for either did not appreciably affect the association of fetal growth rate or length of gestation with mortality from circulatory disease. There were no appreciable sex differences in the effect of weight for gestational age or length of gestation on risk of death from cerebrovascular disease.
These results show that length of gestation is associated with mortality from cerebrovascular disease but not with ischaemic heart disease. |
| Keyword(s): | cerebrovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, low birth weight, prematurity, stroke |
| Discussion: | No discussion mentioned for this entry |
| See Also: | No related entries mentioned for this entry |
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