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Birthweight is associated with clinical characteristics in people with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes

Hansen, Aleksander L. ; Thomsen, Reimar W. ; Brøns, Charlotte LU ; Svane, Helene M.L. ; Jensen, Rasmus T. ; Andersen, Mette K. ; Hansen, Torben ; Nielsen, Jens S. ; Vestergaard, Peter and Højlund, Kurt , et al. (2023) In Diabetologia 66(9). p.1680-1692
Abstract

Aims/hypothesis: Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes but it is unknown whether low birthweight is associated with distinct clinical characteristics at disease onset. We examined whether a lower or higher birthweight in type 2 diabetes is associated with clinically relevant characteristics at disease onset. Methods: Midwife records were traced for 6866 individuals with type 2 diabetes in the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes (DD2) cohort. Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed age at diagnosis, anthropomorphic measures, comorbidities, medications, metabolic variables and family history of type 2 diabetes in individuals with the lowest 25% of birthweight (<3000 g) and highest 25% of... (More)

Aims/hypothesis: Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes but it is unknown whether low birthweight is associated with distinct clinical characteristics at disease onset. We examined whether a lower or higher birthweight in type 2 diabetes is associated with clinically relevant characteristics at disease onset. Methods: Midwife records were traced for 6866 individuals with type 2 diabetes in the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes (DD2) cohort. Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed age at diagnosis, anthropomorphic measures, comorbidities, medications, metabolic variables and family history of type 2 diabetes in individuals with the lowest 25% of birthweight (<3000 g) and highest 25% of birthweight (>3700 g), compared with a birthweight of 3000–3700 g as reference, using log-binomial and Poisson regression. Continuous relationships across the entire birthweight spectrum were assessed with linear and restricted cubic spline regression. Weighted polygenic scores (PS) for type 2 diabetes and birthweight were calculated to assess the impact of genetic predispositions. Results: Each 1000 g decrease in birthweight was associated with a 3.3 year (95% CI 2.9, 3.8) younger age of diabetes onset, 1.5 kg/m2 (95% CI 1.2, 1.7) lower BMI and 3.9 cm (95% CI 3.3, 4.5) smaller waist circumference. Compared with the reference birthweight, a birthweight of <3000 g was associated with more overall comorbidity (prevalence ratio [PR] for Charlson Comorbidity Index Score ≥3 was 1.36 [95% CI 1.07, 1.73]), having a systolic BP ≥155 mmHg (PR 1.26 [95% CI 0.99, 1.59]), lower prevalence of diabetes-associated neurological disease, less likelihood of family history of type 2 diabetes, use of three or more glucose-lowering drugs (PR 1.33 [95% CI 1.06, 1.65]) and use of three or more antihypertensive drugs (PR 1.09 [95% CI 0.99, 1.20]). Clinically defined low birthweight (<2500 g) yielded stronger associations. Most associations between birthweight and clinical characteristics appeared linear, and a higher birthweight was associated with characteristics mirroring lower birthweight in opposite directions. Results were robust to adjustments for PS representing weighted genetic predisposition for type 2 diabetes and birthweight. Conclusion/interpretation: Despite younger age at diagnosis, and fewer individuals with obesity and family history of type 2 diabetes, a birthweight <3000 g was associated with more comorbidities, including a higher systolic BP, as well as with greater use of glucose-lowering and antihypertensive medications, in individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Age at diagnosis, Birthweight, Epidemiology, Fetal programming, Polygenic risk score, Type 2 diabetes
in
Diabetologia
volume
66
issue
9
pages
13 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:37303007
  • scopus:85161475825
ISSN
0012-186X
DOI
10.1007/s00125-023-05936-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8537a016-e6d0-4fb4-a182-01e20ab87390
date added to LUP
2023-08-22 14:15:32
date last changed
2024-04-20 01:17:03
@article{8537a016-e6d0-4fb4-a182-01e20ab87390,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aims/hypothesis: Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes but it is unknown whether low birthweight is associated with distinct clinical characteristics at disease onset. We examined whether a lower or higher birthweight in type 2 diabetes is associated with clinically relevant characteristics at disease onset. Methods: Midwife records were traced for 6866 individuals with type 2 diabetes in the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes (DD2) cohort. Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed age at diagnosis, anthropomorphic measures, comorbidities, medications, metabolic variables and family history of type 2 diabetes in individuals with the lowest 25% of birthweight (&lt;3000 g) and highest 25% of birthweight (&gt;3700 g), compared with a birthweight of 3000–3700 g as reference, using log-binomial and Poisson regression. Continuous relationships across the entire birthweight spectrum were assessed with linear and restricted cubic spline regression. Weighted polygenic scores (PS) for type 2 diabetes and birthweight were calculated to assess the impact of genetic predispositions. Results: Each 1000 g decrease in birthweight was associated with a 3.3 year (95% CI 2.9, 3.8) younger age of diabetes onset, 1.5 kg/m<sup>2</sup> (95% CI 1.2, 1.7) lower BMI and 3.9 cm (95% CI 3.3, 4.5) smaller waist circumference. Compared with the reference birthweight, a birthweight of &lt;3000 g was associated with more overall comorbidity (prevalence ratio [PR] for Charlson Comorbidity Index Score ≥3 was 1.36 [95% CI 1.07, 1.73]), having a systolic BP ≥155 mmHg (PR 1.26 [95% CI 0.99, 1.59]), lower prevalence of diabetes-associated neurological disease, less likelihood of family history of type 2 diabetes, use of three or more glucose-lowering drugs (PR 1.33 [95% CI 1.06, 1.65]) and use of three or more antihypertensive drugs (PR 1.09 [95% CI 0.99, 1.20]). Clinically defined low birthweight (&lt;2500 g) yielded stronger associations. Most associations between birthweight and clinical characteristics appeared linear, and a higher birthweight was associated with characteristics mirroring lower birthweight in opposite directions. Results were robust to adjustments for PS representing weighted genetic predisposition for type 2 diabetes and birthweight. Conclusion/interpretation: Despite younger age at diagnosis, and fewer individuals with obesity and family history of type 2 diabetes, a birthweight &lt;3000 g was associated with more comorbidities, including a higher systolic BP, as well as with greater use of glucose-lowering and antihypertensive medications, in individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes.<br/></p>}},
  author       = {{Hansen, Aleksander L. and Thomsen, Reimar W. and Brøns, Charlotte and Svane, Helene M.L. and Jensen, Rasmus T. and Andersen, Mette K. and Hansen, Torben and Nielsen, Jens S. and Vestergaard, Peter and Højlund, Kurt and Jessen, Niels and Olsen, Michael H. and Sørensen, Henrik T. and Vaag, Allan A.}},
  issn         = {{0012-186X}},
  keywords     = {{Age at diagnosis; Birthweight; Epidemiology; Fetal programming; Polygenic risk score; Type 2 diabetes}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9}},
  pages        = {{1680--1692}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Diabetologia}},
  title        = {{Birthweight is associated with clinical characteristics in people with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00125-023-05936-1}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00125-023-05936-1}},
  volume       = {{66}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}