Search

Background: Cord blood leptin increases with advancing gestation. Preterm delivery leads to premature separation from the maternal and placental leptin source predisposing infants to postnatal leptin deficiency, but this has not been fully described. Method: Blood leptin levels were measured for infants born before 33 weeks gestation daily for the first 2 days, then weekly until 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). Cord blood was obtained to provide gestational age (GA)-specific standards. Results: Cord blood leptin levels were positively associated with GA at birth, maternal body mass index (BMI) and pregnancy weight gain (all P

Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are antidepressants prescribed in 10% of pregnancies in the USA. We have previously shown in preclinical studies that sertraline exposure impacts cardiomyocyte development, leading to reductions in left ventricular size and cardiac function. Objectives: We hypothesized that in utero SSRI exposure will lead to reduced left ventricular dimensions and cardiac function on echocardiography immediately after birth. Methods: Twenty term infants with and 21 term infants without in utero exposure to SSRIs underwent echocardiograms to assess cardiac size and function. The exclusion criteria for infants were prematurity, small or large for gestational age, any respiratory or cardiovascular support needed after birth, and any major congenital malformation. Results: Infants exposed to in utero SSRIs had significantly reduced right ventricular dimensions in the diastole (controls 1.0 cm [0.86, 1.20], SSRI 0.89 cm [0.730, 1.05], p = 0.03), and left ventricular lengths in the diastole and systole (diastole: controls 3.4 cm [3.25, 3.65], SSRI 3.25 cm [3.10, 3.45], p = 0.03; systole: controls 2.9 cm [2.65, 3.05], SSRI 2.6 cm [2.50, 2.85], p = 0.01). No differences were observed in cardiac function. Importantly, there were no differences in maternal conditions or infant birth weight, body surface area, or gestational age. Conclusions: Our findings suggest an association between in utero exposure to SSRIs and ventricular size in infants. Given the increasing use of SSRIs during pregnancy and the importance of early life programming on future cardiovascular health, larger studies need to be completed to determine if in utero SSRI exposure impacts ventricular size.

Perinatal growth restriction is associated with heightened sympathetic tone and hypertension. We have previously shown that naturally occurring neonatal growth restriction (GR) programs hypertension in male but not female mice. We therefore hypothesized that intact ovarian function or post-ovariectomy estrogen administration protects GR female mice from hypertension. Utilizing a non-interventional model that categorizes mice with weanling weights below the 10th percentile as GR, control and GR adult mice were studied at three distinct time points: baseline, post-ovariectomy (OVX), and post-OVX with oral estrogen replacement. OVX elicited hypertension in GR mice that was significantly exacerbated by psychomotor arousal (systolic blood pressure at light to dark transition: control 122+/−2; GR 119+/−2; control-OVX 116+/−3; GR-OVX 126+/−3 mmHg). Estrogen partially normalized the rising blood pressure surge seen in GR-OVX mice (23+/−7% reduction). GR mice had left ventricular hypertrophy, and GR-OVX mice in particular had exaggerated bradycardic responses to sympathetic blockade. For GR mice, a baseline increase in baroreceptor reflex sensitivity and high frequency spectral power support a vagal compensatory mechanism, and that compensation was lost following OVX. For GR mice, the OVX-induced parasympathetic withdrawal was partially restored by estrogen (40+/−25% increase in high frequency spectral power, P

Background Sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is the most commonly prescribed therapy for maternal depression. Epidemiologic studies have linked SSRI exposure with decreased fetal growth, altered autonomic regulation, and cardiac malformations. We hypothesized SSRI exposure decreases left ventricular volumes and increases adult sympathetic nervous system activation, resulting in increased adult heart rates. Methods C57BL/6 mice received saline or sertraline (5 or 15 mg/kg/day i.p.) on postnatal days 1–14. Adult phenotypes were assessed at 5 months. Results Sertraline-exposed mice had smaller left ventricular internal diameters in diastole (control 4.0 ± 0.1 mm, SSRI 3.7 ± 0.1 mm, p < 0.05), decreased stroke volumes (control 46 ± 2.6 μL, SSRI 37 ± 2.3 μL, p < 0.05), higher heart rates (control 530 ± 13 beats per minute (bpm), SSRI 567 ± 6 bpm, p