Fetal programming and systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVES: this study investigates whether birthweight is linked to an increased risk of developing systemic sclerosis. STUDY DESIGN: this was a multicenter case-control study with perinatal data obtained from 332 cases with systemic sclerosis and 243 controls. Birthweight was treated as a dichotomous variable (<2500 g vs. ≥2500 g); low birthweight was defined as a weight less than 2500 g and small for gestational age was defined as birthweight below the 10th percentile for gestational age adjusted for gender. The relationship between systemic sclerosis and both low birthweight and small for gestational age was expressed with the crude (univariate analysis) and adjusted (multivariate analysis) odds ratio (OR). RESULTS: significantly increased ORs were observed in the univariate analysis for low birthweight (OR = 2.59, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.39-5.05) and small for gestational age (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.34-5.32) subjects. Similarly increased risks were confirmed for both conditions in the multivariate analysis (OR = 3.93, 95% CI: 1.92-8.07) and (OR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.28-5.19), respectively. CONCLUSION: Low birthweight and small for gestational age at birth are risk factors for the adult onset of systemic sclerosis.