RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY WEIGHT AND LENGTH IN NEWBORNS AND INDICATORS OF AUTHONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM IN CHILDREN

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to study the relationship between body weight and length in newborns and indicators of autonomic nervous system in children. To study the features of the autonomic regulation of heart rhythm, we studied children aged from four to seven years (125 boys and 114 girls). Five‐minute ECG were recorded during rest period. In four‐year‐old boys, we have found positive correlation between body weight at birth and SI («stress index») (r = −0.257, p <0.05), AMo (r = −0.169, p <0.05), heart rate (r = −0.002, p <0.05). In girls of the same age, multiple regression analysis showed a pronounced effect of body weight at birth on SI (r = 0.506, p <0.016) and AMo (r = 0.525, p <0.01). In boys of five years old, a significant correlation was found between body weight at birth and the average value of RR intervals (r = 0.647, p <0.001), Mo (r = 0.598, p <0.001), AMo (r = −0.442, p <0.01), SI (r = −0.465, p <0,05), heart rate (r = −0.666, p <0.001). For boys of five years old, significant correlation was observed between the length of the body of newborns and the average value of RR‐intervals (r = 0.583, p <0.001), Mo (r = 0.518, p <0.002), MxDMn (r = 0.441, p <0.01), AMo (r = −0.539, p <0.001), SI (r = −0.606, p <0.001), heart rate (r = −0.600, p <0.001). In girls of five years of age, a significant positive relationship was found between body weight at birth and SI (r = −0.173, p <0.05), between the length of the body at birth and SI (r = −0.166, p <0.05). The results of multiple regression analysis allow us to come to the conclusion about a more pronounced effect of body length at birth on indicators of autonomic nervous system in children. Body weight and body length of newborns may be use as cofactors when analyzing the influence of environmental factors on the functional state of the cardiovascular system.