Birth Weight Relates to Salt Sensitivity of Blood Pressure in Healthy Adults

The association between birth weight and blood pressure is well established but at present unexplained. According to the Borst-Guyton concept, chronic hypertension can occur only with a shift in the renal pressure–natriuresis relationship resulting in increased salt sensitivity of blood pressure. We...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979) Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 928 - 932
Main Authors de Boer, Michiel P, IJzerman, Richard G, de Jongh, Renate T, Eringa, Etto C, Stehouwer, Coen D.A, Smulders, Yvo M, Serné, Erik H
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Heart Association, Inc 01.04.2008
Subjects
Adult
Blood Pressure - drug effects
Creatinine - blood
Female
Humans
Hypertension, Renal - chemically induced
Hypertension, Renal - epidemiology
Hypertension, Renal - physiopathology
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Risk Factors
Sodium Chloride, Dietary - adverse effects
Uric Acid - blood
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Summary:The association between birth weight and blood pressure is well established but at present unexplained. According to the Borst-Guyton concept, chronic hypertension can occur only with a shift in the renal pressure–natriuresis relationship resulting in increased salt sensitivity of blood pressure. We assessed salt sensitivity of blood pressure in a group of 27 healthy adults whose birth weight was available. Birth weight was ascertained from birth certificates or announcements. Salt sensitivity of blood pressure was determined as difference in mean arterial pressure (MAP) between a 1-week high-salt (≈235 mmol NaCl/d) versus low-salt diet (≈55 mmol NaCl/d). Creatinine clearance was estimated according to the formula of Cockcroft and Gault. Birth weight was negatively associated with salt sensitivity of blood pressure (r=−0.60, P=0.002). The creatinine clearance was positively associated with birth weight (r=0.53; P=0.008) but did not influence the association between birth weight and salt sensitivity of blood pressure. Birth weight is associated with salt sensitivity of blood pressure, and this may play a role in the maintenance of elevated blood pressure in individuals with a low birth weight.
ISSN:0194-911X
1524-4563
DOI:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.101881