Aorta Structural Alterations in Term Neonates: The Role of Birth and Maternal Characteristics

<jats:p><jats:italic>Aim</jats:italic>. To evaluate the influence of selected maternal and neonatal characteristics on aorta walls in term, appropriately grown-for-gestational age newborns.<jats:italic>Methods</jats:italic>. Age, parity, previous abortions, weight, height, body mass index before and after delivery, smoking, and history of hypertension, of diabetes, of cardiovascular diseases, and of dyslipidemia were all assessed in seventy mothers. They delivered 34 males and 36 females healthy term newborns who underwent ultrasound evaluation of the anteroposterior infrarenal abdominal aorta diameter (APAO), biochemical profile (glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fibrinogen, and D-dimers homeostasis model assessment [HOMA<jats:sub>IR</jats:sub>]index), and biometric parameters.<jats:italic>Results</jats:italic>. APAO was related to newborn length (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.36</mml:mn></mml:math>;<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>), head circumference (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.37</mml:mn></mml:math>;<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>), gestational age (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.40</mml:mn></mml:math>,<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.0005</mml:mn></mml:math>), HOMA index (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.24</mml:mn></mml:math>;<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.04</mml:mn></mml:math>), and D-dimers (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M9"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.33</mml:mn></mml:math>,<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M10"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.004</mml:mn></mml:math>). Smoke influenced APAO values (odds ratio: 1.80; confidence interval 95%: 1.05–3.30), as well as diabetes during pregnancy (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M11"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.42</mml:mn></mml:math>,<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M12"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.0002</mml:mn></mml:math>). Maternal height influenced neonatal APAO (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M13"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.47</mml:mn></mml:math>,<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M14"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.00003</mml:mn></mml:math>). Multiple regression analysis outlined neonatal D-dimers as still significantly related to neonatal APAO values.<jats:italic>Conclusions</jats:italic>. Many maternal and neonatal characteristics could influence aorta structures. Neonatal D-dimers are independently related to APAO.</jats:p>