Abstract
Introduction: Low birth weight is associated with increased risk of arterial hypertension and metabolic diseases in adulthood. Rapid postnatal catch-up growth may constitute an additional risk factor.
Aim: To investigate the effects of postnatal overfeeding (OF) after intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in 12 month old, adult rats.
Methods: 4 groups of animals were investigated: group I, controls: offspring of dams fed normal diet (NP, casein 22 %); group II: offspring of dams fed isocaloric low-protein diet (LP, casein 9 %); group III: postnatal OF (obtained by reduction of litter size); group IV: LP rats exposed to postnatal OF. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), glomerular number, renal function, fasting glycaemia and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test were obtained
Results: (mean +/- SEM). Offspring of dams fed LP diet had a 20 % birth weight and 38 % glomerular number reduction (p < 0.01). Catch-up growth was associated with an elevated SBP from the age of 4 weeks (110 +/-3; 117 +/- 2; 116 +/- 3; 127 +/- 2 mmHg in groups NP, LP, OF, LP+OF rats respectively; p < 0.05). But the difference in SBP between LP and controls rats disappeared at the age of 12 months. Creatinine clearance decreased with age in LP+OF rats but reached statistical significance in males at 12 months (3.34 +/- 0.2; 4.26 +/-0.3; 4.61+/-1.6; 5.48 +/-1.6 ml/min/kg in LP+OF, LP, OF, controls respectively). Proteinuria was significantly higher in LP+OF rats than in controls at 4 months. At the age of 12 months, glucose tolerance was significantly altered in OF and LP+OF rats.
Conclusion: Early catch-up growth in IUGR rats enhances alteration of SBP, glucose tolerance and renal function in adulthood. Early postnatal overfeeding may amplify single nephron hyperfiltration, and insulin-resistance associated with IUGR, resulting in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases at adulthood.
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Boubred, F., Buffat, C., Feuerstein, J. et al. 54 Effects of Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Catch-up Growth on Arterial Blood Pressure, Glucose Tolerance and Renal Function in Adult Rats. Pediatr Res 58, 363 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200508000-00083
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200508000-00083