The influence of fetal and postnatal growth on heart rate variability in young infants

Heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of cardiac autonomic control, was a nalyzed in infants to assess the hypothesis that early undernutrition may i nduce autonomic dysfunction that could play a role in the programming of la ter cardiovascular disease, HRV data were collected during a night session in 546 healthy infants at 5-12 weeks of adjusted age, and statistical assoc iations with fetal and postnatal growth indices were established, A signifi cant positive correlation between birth weight, the ratio of neonatal weigh t to head circumference and postnatal weight gain, and HRV indices mostly i nfluenced by sympathetic activity was demonstrated in 11- and 12-week-old i nfants, A slight correlation (p > 0.05) was also found in younger infants, These data suggest the influence of fetal and postnatal growth on the progr amming of the autonomic nervous system beyond the neonatal period, This inf luence may be one of the important mechanisms that link impaired growth in fetal and infant life to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disea se during childhood and adulthood (the Barker hypothesis). Copyright (C) 20 01 S. Karger AG. Basel.