Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of early growth patterns that have previously been associated with later cardiometabolic risk on cardiac left ventricular (LV) structure and function in midlife.

Study design: A subpopulation of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 took part in follow-up, including echocardiography (n = 1155) at the age of 46 years. Body mass index (BMI) growth curves were modeled based on frequent anthropometric measurements in childhood. Age and BMI at adiposity peak (n = 482, mean age 9.0 months) and at adiposity rebound (n = 586, mean age 5.8 years) were determined. Results are reported as unstandardized beta (β) or OR with 95% CIs for 1 SD increase in early growth variable.

Results: Earlier adiposity rebound was associated with increased LV mass index (β = −4.10 g/m² (−6.9, −1.3); P = 0.004) and LV end-diastolic volume index (β = −2.36 mL/m² (−3.9, −0.84); P = 0.002) as well as with eccentric LV hypertrophy (OR 0.54 [0.38, 0.77]; P = 0.001) in adulthood in males. BMI at adiposity rebound was directly associated with LV mass index (β = 2.33 g/m² [0.80, 3.9]; P = 0.003). Higher BMI at both adiposity peak and at adiposity rebound were associated with greater LV end-diastolic volume index (β = 1.47 mL/m²; [0.51, 2.4], β = 1.28 mL/m² [0.41, 2.2], respectively) and also with eccentric LV hypertrophy (OR 1.41 [1.10, 1.82], OR 1.53 [1.23, 1.91], respectively) and LV concentric remodeling (OR 1.38 [1.02, 1.87], OR 1.40 [1.06, 1.83], respectively) in adulthood (P < 0.05 for all). These relationships were only partly mediated by adult BMI.

Conclusions: Early growth patterns in infancy and childhood contribute to cardiac structure at midlife.