CAN THE BIRTH OF A LARGE INFANT PREDICT RISK FOR ATHEROSCLEROTIC VASCULAR-DISEASE IN THE MOTHER

We have previously demonstrated that women who had given birth to large infants had a six-fold increased risk of developing Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus compared with a control group matched for age and parity. However, the patients were extremely obese which explained, in part, the increased risk. In the present investigation we studied whether the delivery of large infants correlated with risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular disease other than obesity and diabetes, and therefore could serve as early markers for syndrome X. The study consisted, of 73 women who 20-27 years earlier had given birth to large infants weighing 4,500 g or more. Another group of 73 women matched for age, parity and BMI who had delivered infants weighing less than 4,500 g within a 3-month period served as a control group. Of these 73 patient/control pairs, 48 (66 %) were able to participate in the investigation. Mean age was 52.2 years (range 40-66 years). No differences were noted for family history of diabetes and medication prescribed for vascular disease between the groups. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed and glucose, insulin and C-peptide at 0 and 2 h were estimated. Triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol were analysed at baseline. We found no tendency towards hyperinsulinaemia and hyperglycaemia in the patients and both groups had the same relative increase in levels of insulin and C-peptide. No difference between the groups regarding manifest symptoms of vascular disease, either in blood pressure or in proteinuria were observed. The only risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease identified was a significantly lower concentration of HDL in the patient group.