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Birth Weight and Birth Weight for Gestational Age in Relation to Risk of Hospitalization with Primary Hypertension in Children and Young Adults

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Abstract

Introduction Low birth weight has been associated with an increased risk of hypertension in children. Less clear is whether high birth weight is also associated with risk. We evaluated overall and age-specific risks of primary hypertension in children and young adults associated with birth weight and birth weight for gestational age. Methods We conducted a population-based case–control study using linked Washington State birth certificate and hospital discharge data from 1987 to 2003. Cases were persons hospitalized with primary hypertension at 8–24 years of age (n = 533). Controls were randomly selected among those born in the same years who were not hospitalized with hypertension (n = 25,966). Results Birth weight was not related to risk of primary hypertension overall, except for a suggestion of an increased risk associated with birth weight ≥4500 g relative to 3500–3999 g (odds ratio (OR) 1.55; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.96–2.49). Compared to children born appropriate weight for gestational age, those born small (SGA) (OR 1.32; 95 % CI 1.02–1.71) and large for gestational age (LGA) (OR 1.30; 95 % CI 1.00–1.71) had increased risks of primary hypertension. These overall associations were due to increased risks of hypertension at 15–24 years of age; no associations were observed with risk at 8–14 years of age. Discussion In this study, both SGA and LGA were associated with increased risks of primary hypertension. Our findings suggest a possible nonlinear (U-shaped) association between birth weight for gestational age and primary hypertension risk in children and young adults.

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Acknowledgments

Gaia Pocobelli was supported by Grant Number T32 HD052462 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. We would like to thank the Washington State Department of Health for data access, and Mr. Bill O’Brien for programming and data management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 357236, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Health Sciences Building F-262, Seattle, WA, 98195-7236, USA

    Gaia Pocobelli, Sascha Dublin, Daniel A. Enquobahrie & Beth A. Mueller

  2. Group Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA

    Sascha Dublin

  3. Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, University of Washington, 1730 Minor Ave, Suite 1360, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA

    Daniel A. Enquobahrie

  4. Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Box 358080, 1100 Fairview Ave N., Arnold Building, Mailstop: M4-C308, P.O. Box 1192024, Seattle, WA, 98109-1024, USA

    Beth A. Mueller

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  1. Gaia Pocobelli
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Correspondence to Gaia Pocobelli.

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Pocobelli, G., Dublin, S., Enquobahrie, D.A. et al. Birth Weight and Birth Weight for Gestational Age in Relation to Risk of Hospitalization with Primary Hypertension in Children and Young Adults. Matern Child Health J 20, 1415–1423 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-1939-7

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