Left ventricular mass in offspring of diabetic mothers: at 5–7 years old

Newborns of mothers with diabetes have increased risk for cardiac left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Diabetic pregnancy is also associated with in increased risk for obesity and hypertension, as well as for later cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to examine the connection between being the offspring from a diabetic pregnancy and having hypertension and obesity to the increased risk to have left ventricular mass (LVM) and altered LV geometry in childhood. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 23 offspring of diabetic mothers and 23 sex- and age-matched control children at the age of 5–7 years. LVM and LV geometry were assessed using M-mode echocardiography and indexed for height^2.7. Data analyses were adjusted for birth weight, current overweight/obesity status and blood pressure. Prevalence of increased LVM/height^2.7 was higher in children of diabetic mothers, i.e. 43.5 vs. 8.7% in the control group (RR (95% CI) 5.0 (1.2–20.4), p = 0.007). The association between maternal diabetes and increased LVM persisted after adjustment for age, sex, birth weight, current overweight/obesity status and blood pressure, with regression coefficient of (95% CI) 5.7 (1.4–10.1), p = 0.01. Together, maternal diabetes, overweight/obesity status and blood pressure contributed 50% to the increase. Results showed that children of diabetic mothers were more likely to have altered LV geometry (RR (95% CI) 6.0 (1.5–23.9), p < 0.001). Maternal diabetes is a risk factor for increased LVM and altered LV geometry in childhood.