Effect Of Early Life Factors Research Articles

Infant inflammation predicts childhood emotional and behavioral problems and partially mediates socioeconomic disadvantage

BackgroundEmotional and behavioral problems (EBP) are common in children. Environmental factors like socioeconomic disadvantage influence EBP pathogenesis and can trigger inflammation. However, the link between early inflammation-EBP in children is unclear. We investigated the associations between i) infant inflammatory biomarkers and subsequent EBP and ii) early life environmental factors and EBP and assessed whether infant inflammation mediated these associations. MethodsInflammatory biomarkers glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were quantified at birth and 12 months in a population–derived birth cohort, the Barwon Infant Study. Early life factors including demographic, prenatal, and perinatal factors were collected from antenatal to the two-year period. Internalizing and externalizing problems at age two were measured by the Child Behavior Checklist. Prospective associations were examined by multivariable regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders. Indirect effects of early life factors on EBP through inflammation were identified using mediation analyses. ResultsElevated GlycA levels at birth (GlycAbirth) were associated with greater internalizing problems at age two (β = 1.32 per SD increase in GlycA; P = 0.001). Inflammation at birth had a stronger magnitude of effect with later EBP than at 12 months. GlycAbirth partially mediated the associations between lower household income (6%), multiparity (12%) and greater number of older siblings (13%) and EBP. Patterns were less evident for hsCRP or externalizing problems. ConclusionsGlycAbirth was positively associated with EBP at age two and partially mediated the association between several indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage and EBP. Prenatal and perinatal inflammation may be relevant to early neurodevelopment and emotional health.

Early life factors of schizotypal personality disorder in adolescents: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) affects 4% of the general population in the United States. The identification of early life factors (ELFs) that confer risk to SPD in adolescents (ages 10-24years old) has become a major focus of clinical research on schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. This systematic review aims to determine what ELFs contribute to the onset of SPD in the adolescent population. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, Psychiatry online, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE and CINAHL databases was conducted using relevant keywords. Data were extracted using a standardized form following PRISMA guidelines. Twenty-four studies met the criteria for inclusion. ELFs in the development of SPD were grouped into two important clusters: (a) prenatal and early postnatal factors; (b) childhood trauma and parental factors. Mental health nurses, especially nurses in primary care, should be aware of potentially modifiable ELF. Longitudinal research is needed to determine the causative roles of these ELF play in the occurrence of SPD by using rigorous measurements. These findings call for awareness of the modifiable ELF for SPD and also inform possible future interventions to reduce these risks, such as parent-training or environmental enrichment programmes.

Divergent Trends in the Effects of Early-Life Factors on Adult Health.

Life course theories have shaped social and health scientists' understanding of the origins and pathways of health, aging, and mortality. However, few studies have examined how these origins might have changed across cohorts. This study investigates the impact of birth, childhood, and adolescence factors on adult health across birth cohorts born in the second half of the 20th century in the United States. Data come from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Family and Individual Files 1968-2013 and the Childbirth and Adoption History File 1985-2013. Multilevel growth models are used to capture the growth trajectories of two adult health outcomes: self-rated health and health summary index. We find the association between three pre-adulthood factors (birth weight, mother's education, childhood family income-to-needs ratio) and health outcomes weakens in more recent cohorts, while the association strengthens for the other two early life factors (early-life disease index and parental smoking status before age 17). These findings demonstrate the complexity of the social-to-biological embodiment across the life course, and suggest that the effects of early-life factors on adult health can increase or decrease across cohorts due to macro social, economic, policy, technological, and medical changes. They also illuminate the long-term debate on the period and cohort effects in shaping the health trend, and suggest that the cohort effect is multidimensional and is weaker or stronger depending on the dimension of early life examined.

Early-life factors, in-utero exposures and endometriosis risk: a meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis aimed to offer a general picture of the available data on the effects of early-life factors on the risk of developing endometriosis in adult life. An advanced, systematic search of the online medical databases PubMed, EMBASE and CINAHL was limited to full-length manuscripts published in English in peer-reviewed journals up to February 2019. Log of relative risk (RR) was employed to calculate the pooled effect sizes using both fixed and random effects modelling and I-squared tests to assess heterogeneity. Funnel plots were used to investigation publication bias. The meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (ID CRD42019138668). Six studies that included a total of 2360 women affected by endometriosis were analysed. The pooled results showed that the risk of developing endometriosis in adult life was significantly increased by being born prematurely (logRR 0.21, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.40), having a low birthweight (logRR 0.35, 95% CI -0.15 to 0.54), being formula-fed (logRR 0.65, 95% CI -0.35 to 0.95) and having been exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero (logRR 0.65, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.04. Among intrauterine and early neonatal exposures, prematurity, birthweight, formula feeding and DES were risk factors for the development of endometriosis in adult life.

Prenatal, Perinatal, and Early Childhood Factors Associated with Childhood Obstructive Sleep Apnea

To investigate prenatal, perinatal, and early childhood factors, including cord and early childhood plasma leptin, on a clinical diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among children in the Boston Birth Cohort. We conducted a secondary analysis of 2867 mother-child pairs from the Boston Birth Cohort who were enrolled between 1998 and 2014 at Boston Medical Center and followed from birth to age 16years. Child's OSA was defined based on clinical diagnoses documented in the medical record. Plasma leptin was measured in cord and early childhood blood samples. Logistic regression was used to examine individual and combined effects of early life factors on the risk of OSA, adjusting for potential confounders. The mean age of the study children was 6.39years (SD=3.77); 49.3% were girls, and 209 (7.3%) had ever been diagnosed with OSA. Four significant risk factors for OSA were identified: maternal obesity/diabetes during pregnancy (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.21-2.21; P=.001), preterm/low birth weight (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.30-2.32; P<.001), early childhood obesity (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.37-2.62; P<.001), and high leptin levels in early childhood (OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.22-3.09; P=.005). The presence of all these 4 risk factors significantly amplified the odds of OSA by about 10 times (OR, 9.95; 95% CI, 3.42-28.93; P<.001) compared with those lacking these factors. Our findings, if further confirmed, provide new insight into the early life risk factors of pediatric OSA and underscore the need for early screening and prevention of OSA among children with those risk factors.

Effects of Early life Factors on the Incidence of Allergic diseases in an Asian Birth cohort

Effects of Early life Factors on the Incidence of Allergic diseases in an Asian Birth cohort

Effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of older adults.

Few studies on the effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of adults have been conducted in Turkey. We aimed to investigate the effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of older adults. We administered a questionnaire to 350 adults, aged 50-89 years, living in Cankaya, Ankara. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic characteristics, early life characteristics, health status, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Ageing scale. Data were analyzed using χ 2 tests, independent samples t-tests, one-way anova, and binary logistic regression analysis. The analyses showed that the most important risk factors for chronic disease were being ≥65 years (odds ratio (OR) = 2.34), having a chronic health problem before 18 years of age (OR = 2.48), experiencing prolonged hospitalization or bed rest before 18 years of age (OR = 2.65), and experiencing parental unconcern during early life (OR = 2.13) (P < 0.05). In addition, having a high school education or less includes people who have primary or secondary or high school diploma (OR = 1.65), having lived in a village (OR = 1.65), having a low family economic status (OR = 2.40), and having experienced one negative event (OR = 1.41) or two or more negative events (OR = 1.39) during their early lives were identified as important risk factors for low quality of life (P < 0.05). Early life factors are among the important determinants of the health and quality of life of older adults in Turkey.

Impact of body size, nutrition and socioeconomic position in early life on the epigenome: a systematic review protocol

BackgroundBody size, nutrition and socioeconomic position (SEP) in early life have been associated with a range of later life health outcomes. Epigenetic regulation is one mechanism through which these early life factors may impact later life health. The aim of this review protocol is to outline procedures to document the influence of body size, nutrition and SEP in early life on the epigenome.MethodsMEDLINE, Embase and BIOSIS will be systematically searched using pre-defined keywords. Additional studies will be identified through manual searching of reference lists. Two independent researchers will assess the eligibility and quality of each study, with disagreements being resolved through discussion or a third reviewer. Studies will be included if they have epigenetic markers measured either at the same time as, or after, the early life exposure and, have a measure of body size, nutrition or SEP in early life (up to 12 years), are in the English language and are from a sample of community-dwelling participants.DiscussionThis protocol will be used to collate the evidence for the effect of early life factors on the epigenome. Findings will form a component of a wider research study examining epigenetic responses to exposures in early life and over the life course and its impact on healthy ageing using data from population-based cohort studies.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42016050193

Gene-environment Interaction in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Introduction: The rapid increase in the incidence of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) may be due to interactions between a genetic predisposition and changing environmental factors. While EoE has been associated with several early life factors, gene-environment interactions have not been explored. Here, we test for interactions between SNPs or SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium with SNPs previously associated with EoE (TSLP, LOC283710/ KLF13, CAPN14, and CCL26) and early life factors (antibiotic use in infancy, cesarean delivery, breastfeeding, NICU admission, and absence of pets in the home). Methods: We conducted a case-control study using hospital-based cases identified from a registry of EoE patients (n=127) and population-based controls representative of the hospital catchment area (n=121). Early life environmental factors were assessed through a self-administered questionnaire provided to mothers. Cases and controls had been previously genotyped. We computed case-only interaction tests and where there was evidence of possible interaction, secondary analyses were used to describe the combined and independent effects of genotype and environmental factor on risk of EoE. Models were adjusted for maternal education and population stratification. Results: The case-only analyses identified interactions between CAPN14 and breastfeeding (p=0.02), TSLP and NICU admission (p=0.06), TSLP and not having a furry pet in infancy (p=0.05), and LOC283710/ KLF13 and NICU admission (p=0.02), but not with CCL26 and any of the early life factors examined. Case-control analyses of these associations showed the interactive effects for all associations were antagonistic; specifically the risk of having EoE for those with both the susceptibility genotype and early life factor was attenuated as compared to the risk of disease among those with only the genotype or early life factor (Figure). Examination of the effect of early life factors, among those with the CAPN14 susceptibility SNP, identified a strong protective association for breastfeeding (OR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01-0.63). Conclusion: In this first study of gene-environment interactions in EoE, there is preliminary evidence that certain early life factors may interact with susceptibility genotypes to modify risk of disease. In particular, interactions between CAPN14 and breastfeeding, LOC283710/ KLF13 and NICU admission, TSLP and NICU admission, and TSLP and pets merit further examination.Figure 1

Gestational Deficits have Selectively Negative Long‐Term Effects on Cognitive Control among Female Preadolescents

Long‐term cognitive impairments following extreme preterm delivery are well recognized, however, it was unknown whether these effects are present among infants born closer to term or vary based on sex. Herein, cognitive control was assessed among 8‐9‐year‐olds (preterm/&lt;37 wk [n=60] or term/蠅37 wk [n=60]). Children were matched for age, pubertal stage, sex (28 females/group), SES, IQ, BMI, and VO2max. Cognitive control was assessed using a flanker task and groups were compared on measures of accuracy, reaction time, and interference control. While no effects were observed for accuracy, an effect of birth status on overall (d=0.65, P=0.02) and incongruent trial reaction time (d=0.75, P&lt;0.01) was observed among females. Further, preterm females exhibited over two‐fold greater reaction time interference (incongruent ‐ congruent) compared to preterm males, and term females and males (all P&lt;0.01), reflecting compromised ability to up‐regulate cognitive control when faced with higher task demands. This work shows that even relatively small gestational deficits have a lasting influence on cognitive health. Specifically, preterm birth status was selectively and negatively related to cognitive control among female preadolescents. Future studies should elucidate the effects of early life factors on a wider range of cognitive tasks and determine the source of these sex differences. Funding sources: NIH HD055352 and HD069381.

Associations between adolescent and adult socioeconomic status and risk of obesity and overweight in Danish adults

It has been suggested that socioeconomic status (SES) may influence the risk of obesity; however it is important to consider individual changes in SES over the life-course in addition to SES at specific time-points to better understand the complex associations with obesity. We explored the relationship between lifetime-specific and life-course SES and risk of obesity and overweight in Danish adults. Data were used from the Danish Youth and Sports Study (DYSS) – a 20–22 year follow-up study of Danish teenagers born between 1964 and 1969. Baseline data gathered in 1983 and 1985 included self-reported BMI, SES and physical activity. The follow-up survey (2005) repeated these assessments in addition to an assessment of diet. Complete data on adolescent and adult SES and BMI were available for 623 participants. Following adjustments, adolescent SES had no significant association with overweight/obesity in this sample, however females of low or medium adult SES were significantly more likely to be overweight/obese compared to those of high SES (low SES: OR: 2.7; 95% CI: (1.3–5.8); p = 0.008; medium SES: OR: 4.0, 95% CI (1.6–10.2); p = 0.003). Females who decreased in SES during adulthood were significantly more likely to be overweight/obese compared to those who remained of high SES (OR: 3.1; 95% CI (1.1–9.2); p = 0.04). Effects of early life-factors may be conditional upon the environment in adulthood, particularly for the women. Further research should consider the timing of SES exposure and the mechanisms which may be responsible for the socioeconomic gradients in prevalence of obesity and overweight.

Early life influences on the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

There is increasing evidence that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not simply a disease of old age that is largely restricted to heavy smokers, but may be associated with insults to the developing lung during foetal life and the first few years of postnatal life, when lung growth and development are rapid. A better understanding of the long-term effects of early life factors, such as intrauterine growth restriction, prenatal and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoke and other pollutants, preterm delivery and childhood respiratory illnesses, on the subsequent development of chronic respiratory disease is imperative if appropriate preventive and management strategies to reduce the burden of COPD are to be developed. The extent to which insults to the developing lung are associated with increased risk of COPD in later life depends on the underlying cause, timing and severity of such derangements. Suboptimal conditions in utero result in aberrations of lung development such that affected individuals are born with reduced lung function, which tends to remain diminished throughout life, thereby increasing the risk both of wheezing disorders during childhood and subsequent COPD in genetically susceptible individuals. If the current trend towards the ever-increasing incidence of COPD is to be reversed, it is essential to minimize risks to the developing lung by improvements in antenatal and neonatal care, and to reduce prenatal and postnatal exposures to environmental pollutants, including passive tobacco smoke. Furthermore, adult physicians need to recognize that lung disease is potentially associated with early life insults and provide better education regarding diet, exercise and avoidance of smoking to preserve precious reserves of lung function in susceptible adults. This review focuses on factors that adversely influence lung development in utero and during the first 5 years of life, thereby predisposing to subsequent COPD.

OP42 Lifecourse Socioeconomic Position and Cognitive Function in Later Life in Central and Eastern Europe: Preliminary Findings from the Hapiee Study

BackgroundSocioeconomic position (SEP) across the lifecourse is positively associated with cognitive function in later life in studies of Western populations, with later SEP likely mediating the effect of early life...

Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, Sweden

BackgroundRising rates of obesity and overweight is an increasing public health problem all over the world. Recent research has shown the importance of early life factors in the development of child overweight. However, to the best of our knowledge there are no studies investigating the potential synergistic effect of early life factors and presence of parental overweight on the development of child overweight.MethodsThe study was population-based and cross-sectional. The study population consisted of children who visited the Child Health Care (CHC) centers in Malmö for their 4-year health check during 2003-2008 and whose parents answered a self-administered questionnaire (n = 9009 children).ResultsThe results showed that having overweight/obese parents was strongly associated with the child being overweight or obese. Furthermore, there was an association between unfavorable early life factors (i.e., mother smoking during pregnancy, presence of secondhand tobacco smoke early in life, high birth weight) and the development of child overweight/obesity at four years of age, while breastfeeding seemed to have a protective role. For example, maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.47 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.76) for overweight and 2.31 (95% CI: 1.68, 3.17) for obesity. The results further showed synergistic effects between parental overweight and exposure to unfavourable early life factors in the development of child overweight.ConclusionsThe present study shows the importance of early life factors in the development of child overweight and obesity, and thus puts focus on the importance of early targeted interventions.

The influence of early life factors on the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that develops as a result of the interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors. Although increasing evidence shows the importance of genes in determining the risk of RA, it is clear that environmental factors also have a vital role. Studies to date have tended to concentrate on environmental influences around the time of disease onset. However, a number of pieces of evidence, including the fact that autoantibodies, such as rheumatoid factor (RF), can develop several years before the onset of clinical disease, suggest that environmental factors may influence disease susceptibility during early life. Several recent studies lend weight to this possibility, with an increased risk of RA in the offspring of mothers who smoked during pregnancy and in those with higher birth weight. There has also been a suggestion that the risk of RA is reduced in breast-fed infants. We describe the evidence surrounding the effect of early life factors on the risk of developing RA and possible mechanisms by which they may act.

The effect of early life factors on 28 day case fatality after acute myocardial infarction

To study the association of size at birth and social circumstances at birth with 28 day case fatality of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Based on 1,776 first cases of AMI occurring in Uppsala Birth Cohort (men and women born 1915-1929) between 1964 and 2002. Data on circumstances at birth retrieved from archived obstetric records; data on social characteristics in adulthood, hospitalizations, and date of death obtained through linkage to Censuses, Hospital Discharge Register, and Cause of Death Register. We found a U-shaped association between standardized birth weight and case fatality of AMI in men (p = 0.045 for age and period adjusted quadratic trend over quintiles of standardized birth weight) that was driven by cases of AMI occurring during the early years of follow-up. We found no association between standardized birth weight and case fatality of AMI in women. There was a statistically non-significant inverse association of AMI case fatality with social class at birth as well as with social class and household income in adulthood in the cohort. Marital status was a strong determinant of case fatality in men. Standardized birth weight for gestational age was associated with case fatality of AMI in men. Social class at birth was weakly inversely associated with case fatality of AMI in the cohort.

What has the ECRHS told us about the childhood risks of asthma, allergy and lung function?

Few studies investigate how environmental factors in childhood may influence adult respiratory health. The European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) is a longitudinal multi-centre study of Western world adults, including retrospective assessment of early life factors. Analyses of the ECRHS showed both beneficial and harmful long-term effects of childhood factors on adult asthma, allergy and lung function. Childhood pets were associated with less adult atopy and hay fever; beneficial effects were also indicated for growing up on a farm and for early exposure to other children. The findings have contributed to further development of the hygiene hypothesis and further understanding of the mechanisms relating microbial stimulation to allergy; however, the public health consequences may be limited. Harmful effects of early life factors on adult asthma and lung function were indicated for severe respiratory infections early in life, parental smoking and long-term dog keeping. Intervention with regard to parental smoking and vaccination against common lower airways infections may improve respiratory health in the population. Thus, early life environment had permanent beneficial and adverse effects on adult respiratory health. The multi-centre structure of the ECRHS, the large sample size, the extensive information about each participant and follow-up until the age of 56 years, have given the basis for convincing conclusions, and made possible publication of unsuspected findings in spite of the problems related to adult recall of childhood events. The ECRHS have contributed substantially to increased knowledge about the early life origins of allergy and obstructive pulmonary disease, providing a basis for prevention.

Low Birth Weight and Retinal Vascular Caliber in Young Children

To the Editor — Tapp et al1 report interesting associations of low birth weight with several retinal circulatory measures. These findings support the hypothesis that a person's risk of cardiovascular disease may have its etiologic origins in early life. It is of importance that these data also suggest that retinal image analysis may offer a unique means to quantify the adverse effects of early life factors on the microvasculature in young children. We have previously examined retinal vascular caliber changes …

Early life influences on adult leg and trunk length in the 1958 British birth cohort

Short leg length has been associated with increased disease risk. We investigated (1) whether taller childhood stature predicts longer adult leg than trunk length; (2) the effects of early life factors on adult leg/trunk length. We used data from the 1958 British birth cohort on height in childhood and at 45 years, leg and trunk length at 45 years and early life factors (n approximately 5,900). For a SD increase in height at 7 years, adult leg length increased more than trunk length (2.5-2.8 cm vs. 1.9 cm). Parental height had a stronger association with adult than childhood height, and leg than trunk length. Prenatal factors were associated with leg (maternal smoking) and trunk length (birth order); birth weight had a similar effect on leg and trunk lengths. Large family size, overcrowding, and social housing were more strongly associated with leg than trunk length: deficits in adult height (0.4-0.8 cm) were mostly due to shorter legs. Socio-economic adversity in childhood is associated with delayed early growth, shorter adult leg length, and stature. Leg length is the height component most sensitive to early environment. Studies of early life and adult disease could usefully assess adult leg length in addition to height.

Birth weight and psychological distress at age 45–51 years

It is unclear whether the effect of low birth weight on common affective disorders in later life is direct or mediated through childhood factors. To determine whether birth weight has a direct effect on psychological distress in adulthood not mediated by childhood IQ or behavioural problems. Participants (n=5572) of the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s study had data on birth weight for gestational age and adult psychological distress. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between these factors, with adjustment for confounders and potential childhood mediators. Children born full term but weighing less than 5.5 lb had increased odds of psychological distress in later life after adjustment for potential confounders (OR=1.49, 95% CI 1.01-2.20). Further adjustment for childhood IQ and behaviour did not attenuate the association. A 1 s.d. decrease in birth weight for gestational age was associated with a 4% increased odds of psychological distress in adulthood (OR=1.04, 95% CI 0.97-1.12). Low birth weight for gestational age, particularly at term, was associated with adult psychological distress. This was not mediated by childhood factors, suggesting a direct effect of early life factors on adult mental health. A neurodevelopmental pathway may therefore be implicated.