Cardiovascular Remodeling and Dysfunction Across a Range of Growth Restriction Severity in Small for Gestational Age Infants　– Implications for Fetal Programming

Background:The purpose of this study was to clarify cardiovascular structure and function in small for gestational age (SGA) infants across a range of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) severity.Methods and Results:This prospective study included 38 SGA infants and 30 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. SGA infants were subclassified into severe and mild SGA according to the degree of IUGR. Cardiovascular structure and function were evaluated using echocardiography at 1 week of age. Compared with the AGA infants, both the severe and mild SGA infants showed increased left ventricular diastolic dimensions (severe SGA 10.2±2.4, mild SGA 8.2±1.3, and AGA 7.3±0.7 mm/kg, P