by Justin Jackson , Medical Xpress

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Liggins Institute in Auckland-led research has found that adults who were born preterm showed no statistically significant differences in diabetes, prediabetes, or dyslipidemia and had fewer cardiovascular events compared with adults born at term. A higher likelihood of developing high blood pressure by age 50 was seen among the preterm group.

Preterm birth occurs before 37 weeks gestation and affects an estimated one in 10 births worldwide. Outcomes in adulthood have previously been associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension and stroke. These earlier investigations rarely included individuals who reached midlife in the modern era of improved neonatal care.

Long-term consequences for people born preterm are therefore lacking a contemporary research evaluation to identify potential age-related health risks.

In the study, "Health Outcomes 50 Years After Preterm Birth in Participants of a Trial of Antenatal Betamethasone," published in Pediatrics, researchers performed a follow-up of individuals originally enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of antenatal betamethasone at the National Women's Hospital in Auckland.

Participants completed a health questionnaire and provided consent for administrative health data review. Clinical endpoints measured included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, prediabetes, treated dyslipidemia, and major adverse cardiovascular events. Secondary outcomes covered respiratory, mental health, educational, and additional health metrics.

More than one-third of preterm-born adults showed higher reported rates of high blood pressure (34.7% vs. 19.8%), yet the overall risk of major adverse cardiovascular events was lower in this group than in term-born peers (2.8% vs. 6.9%).

Rates of diabetes, prediabetes, and treated dyslipidemia were not significantly different. Respiratory outcomes were generally comparable, and no significant differences were observed in chronic kidney disease prevalence.

Mental health disorders were less common in preterm participants (38.2% vs. 52.9%). Self-reported depression was less common in the preterm group. Educational attainment and mortality after the first year of life did not vary significantly.

The results suggest that worsened cardiovascular outcomes are not universal for all individuals born preterm, particularly for those born at moderate gestation. These findings offer nuanced insights into the long-term impacts of preterm birth in the era of antenatal corticosteroid use.

More information: Anthony G. B. Walters et al, Health Outcomes 50 Years After Preterm Birth in Participants of a Trial of Antenatal Betamethasone, Pediatrics (2024). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2024-066929

Journal information: Pediatrics 

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