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  • Association between birth weight and adolescent systolic blood pressure in a caucasian birth cohort differs according to skin type, CRH promoter or 11β-HSD2 genotype

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Original article
Association between birth weight and adolescent systolic blood pressure in a caucasian birth cohort differs according to skin type, CRH promoter or 11β-HSD2 genotype
  1. T Dwyer1,2,
  2. L Blizzard1,
  3. B Patterson1,
  4. A-L Ponsonby1,2,
  5. K Martin1,
  6. S Quinn1,
  7. M M Sale1,3,
  8. S M Richards1,
  9. R Morley2,4,
  10. S Rich1,3,
  11. J L Dickinson1
  1. 1
    Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
  2. 2
    Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
  3. 3
    Department of Public Health Sciences University of Virginia School of Medicine Charlottesville, VA, USA
  4. 4
    University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
  1. Professor T Dwyer, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; terry.dwyer{at}mcri.edu.au

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether the inverse association between birth weight and blood pressure varies by skin pigmentation and/or related genotypes.

Study design: 671 children from a predominantly caucasian birth cohort were followed-up to adolescence (mean (SD) age 14.4 (0.64)).

Methods: Data on birth weight, socioeconomic status, maternal antenatal smoking, adolescent blood pressure and polymorphisms of candidate genes were obtained and analysed by multiple linear regression.

Results: An increase in birth weight of 1 kg was associated with an non-significant difference in adolescent systolic blood pressure of –0.53 mm Hg (95% CI –1.72 to 0.66) per kg after adjustment for child age and cohort entry criteria. The inverse association between birth weight and systolic blood pressure was stronger for those with darker skin (⩾2% melanin) (difference in effect, p = 0.02), those with more copies of the C allele of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) +T1273C (p = 0.06), and those with more copies of the short (⩽236 bp) form of the 11β-HSD2{CA}nrepeat microsatellite (p = 0.03).

Conclusions: These findings add to the evidence that cortisol-related pathways may account for at least part of the observed birth weight–blood pressure associations.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/adc.2007.129122

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    Footnotes

    • Funding: This study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. The Tasmanian Infant Health Survey was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, US National Institutes of Health (grant 001 HD28979-01A1), Tasmanian State Government, Australian Rotary Health Research Fund, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Research Foundation, National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Council of Australia, Community Organizations’ support program of the Department of Human Services and Health, Zonta International, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Tasmanian Sanatoria After-Care Association. A-LP was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council PHRDC Fellowship. RM was supported by VicHealth (The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation). MMS is supported by a Career Development Award from the American Diabetes Association.

    • Competing interests: None.

    • Ethics approval: Ethics approval was obtained.

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