Cardiovascular phenotype in extremely low birth weight infants: long-term consequences

Abstract

Low birth weight, a possible consequence of prematurity at birth or intrauterine growth restriction, has been recently recognized as an emerging risk factor to develop cardiovascular (CV) future adverse events. Our aim was to perform a short review about the studies conducted in order to evaluate the CV risk profile of a specific subpopulation of infants suffering from low birth weight, that is those having a birth weight less than 1,000 g, called extremely low birth weight.

Keywords::

• birth weight
• cardiovascular risk
• intrauterine foetal growth restriction
• heart
• prematurity