BACKGROUND: Early life experiences might have long-term effects on health. AIM: To assess prevalence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in later life among individuals exposed to traumatic separation in early childhood due to World War II. METHODS: Of the participants of the Helsinki Birth Cohort 1934-44 Study (n=2003), 320 had been evacuated abroad to temporary foster care in childhood. The remaining participants served as controls. The mean age at evacuation was 4.8 (SD=2.4) years and the mean duration of the evacuation was 1.7 (SD=1.0) years. RESULTS: Cardiovascular morbidity was higher among the former war evacuees (14.7% versus 7.9%; odds ratio (OR)=2.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.4-2.9; P<0.001). A similar difference in prevalence of type 2 diabetes was observed (19.7% versus 14.8%; OR=1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.9, P=0.025). The former war evacuees were also more likely to be hypertensive (P<0.05). The effects on morbidity were not explained by age at testing or socio-economic circumstances in childhood or adulthood. CONCLUSION: Early life traumatic events may extend lifelong effects on health. This study is among the first to show that early life trauma predicts higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in late adulthood, in a longitudinal clinical study setting.
BACKGROUND: Early life experiences might have long-term effects on health. AIM: To assess prevalence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in later life among individuals exposed to traumatic separation in early childhood due to World War II. METHODS: Of the participants of the Helsinki Birth Cohort 1934-44 Study (n=2003), 320 had been evacuated abroad to temporary foster care in childhood. The remaining participants served as controls. The mean age at evacuation was 4.8 (SD=2.4) years and the mean duration of the evacuation was 1.7 (SD=1.0) years. RESULTS: Cardiovascular morbidity was higher among the former war evacuees (14.7% versus 7.9%; odds ratio (OR)=2.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.4-2.9; P<0.001). A similar difference in prevalence of type 2 diabetes was observed (19.7% versus 14.8%; OR=1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.9, P=0.025). The former war evacuees were also more likely to be hypertensive (P<0.05). The effects on morbidity were not explained by age at testing or socio-economic circumstances in childhood or adulthood. CONCLUSION: Early life traumatic events may extend lifelong effects on health. This study is among the first to show that early life trauma predicts higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in late adulthood, in a longitudinal clinical study setting.
Authors: Dao H Ho; Mariah L Burch; Benjamin Musall; Jacqueline B Musall; Kelly A Hyndman; Jennifer S Pollock Journal: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol Date: 2016-02-26 Impact factor: 4.733
Authors: Shaoyong Su; Xiaoling Wang; Gaston K Kapuku; Frank A Treiber; David M Pollock; Gregory A Harshfield; W Vaughn McCall; Jennifer S Pollock Journal: Hypertension Date: 2014-04-28 Impact factor: 10.190
Authors: Stefan Thurner; Peter Klimek; Michael Szell; Georg Duftschmid; Gottfried Endel; Alexandra Kautzky-Willer; David C Kasper Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2013-03-04 Impact factor: 11.205