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Maternal preeclampsia and bone mineral density of the adult offspring

Miettola S, Hovi P, Andersson S, Strang-Karlsson S, Pouta A, Laivuori H, Järvenpää AL, Eriksson JG et al.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 2013

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Preterm birth at very low birthweight (<1500 g) is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors and reduced bone mineral density in the adult offspring. Preeclampsia is a frequent cause of preterm birth and is also associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in the offspring. Whether it is associated with bone mineral density is not known.

STUDY DESIGN: We evaluated skeletal health in participants of the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birthweight Adults: 144 born at very low birthweight and 139 born at term. From the very low birthweight and term offspring a respective 32 and 11 were born from pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. We measured bone mineral density at age 18.5 to 27.1 years by dual X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS: Very low birthweight adults exposed to maternal preeclampsia had higher lumbar spine Z score (mean -0.44, compared with -1.07 in very low birthweight unexposed adults, P = .002), femoral neck Z score (-0.05 vs -0.53, P = .003) and whole body bone mineral density Z score (-0.14 vs -0.72, P = .001). Corresponding Z scores for those born at term were -0.02 (preeclampsia) and -0.45 (no preeclampsia) for lumbar spine (P = .2), 0.78 and 0.08 for femoral neck (P = .02) and 0.02 and -0.31 for whole body bone mineral density Z score (P = .08). The results survived adjustment for offspring current height, body mass index, leisure time physical activity, socioeconomic position, smoking, and maternal smoking during pregnancy, and maternal prepregnancy…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.

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