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Race-specific relationship of birth weight and renal function among healthy young children

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Abstract

Background

Low birth weight is associated with diminished renal function. However, despite African Americans being at increased risk of low birth weight and chronic kidney disease, little is known about the association between birth weight and renal function in diverse groups. We examined racial differences in the relationship of birth weight and renal function among healthy young children.

Methods

Birth weight and serum creatinine data were available on 152 children (61.8% African American; 47.4% female) from a birth cohort. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the bedside Schwartz equation and gender- and gestational-age-adjusted birth weight Z-scores using the US population as a reference. Race-specific linear regression models were fit to estimate the association between birth weight Z-score and eGFR.

Results

Mean age was 1.5 ± 1.3 years at first eGFR measurement. African Americans had lower eGFR than non-African Americans (median eGFR = 82 vs. 95 ml/min per 1.73 m2; p = 0.06). Birth weight was significantly and positively associated with eGFR among African American (p = 0.012) but not non-African American children (p = 0.33).

Conclusions

We provide, for the first time, evidence suggesting that birth weight is associated with renal function in African American children. Future work is needed to determine if prenatal programming helps explain racial disparities in adult health.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01 AI050681) and the Fund for Henry Ford Hospital.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Hospital, One Ford Place, 5C, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA

    Andrea E. Cassidy-Bushrow, Ganesa Wegienka, Suzanne Havstad & Christine Cole Johnson

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Henry Ford Hospital, One Ford Place, Detroit, MI, USA

    Charles J. Barone II

  3. The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA

    Rudolph P. Valentini

  4. Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, 2799 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, MI, USA

    Jerry Yee

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  1. Andrea E. Cassidy-Bushrow
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  2. Ganesa Wegienka
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  3. Charles J. Barone II
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  4. Rudolph P. Valentini
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  7. Christine Cole Johnson
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Correspondence to Andrea E. Cassidy-Bushrow.

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Cassidy-Bushrow, A.E., Wegienka, G., Barone, C.J. et al. Race-specific relationship of birth weight and renal function among healthy young children. Pediatr Nephrol 27, 1317–1323 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-012-2136-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-012-2136-6

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