(Press-News.org) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Nov. 20, 2024 – According to a new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, being born preterm is associated with an increased risk of death from birth until the third and fourth decades of life.
The study appears online today in JAMA Network Open.
About 10% of all births worldwide are classified as preterm, which occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks gestation. Globally, preterm birth is the leading cause of infant mortality and the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 5.
“Understanding the long-term effects of preterm birth can help us develop preventative strategies and identify interventions to improve the health of individuals who are born preterm,” said Asma M. Ahmed, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology and prevention at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, former post-doctoral fellow at SickKids, and the study’s lead author.
Ahmed said while the majority of people who are born preterm survive into adulthood, there’s growing evidence that highlights an increased risk of death throughout life.
“We wanted to know whether people born prematurely have a higher risk of short-term and long-term mortality compared to individuals who were born full term,” Ahmed said.
In the first known population-based study of preterm birth in North America, Ahmed and team analyzed a cohort of nearly 5 million live births in Canada of which 6.9% were preterm. The participants were born between 1983 and 1996, and were tracked through 2019, providing a follow-up period ranging from 23 to 36 years.
The preterm births were categorized into gestational age subcategories: 24-27 weeks, 28-31 weeks, 32-33 weeks and 34-36 weeks and compared with the full-term births, 37-41 weeks.
The researchers found that preterm birth is associated with increased risk of death across all age groups up to the age of 36 years, with the highest risks occurring from birth to infancy, 0-11 months, and early childhood, 1-5 years.
“We also found that the risk of mortality is higher with a lower gestational age at birth, with those born before 28 weeks facing the highest risks,” Ahmed said.
The study also identified increased risks of mortality associated with several causes such as respiratory, circulatory and digestive system disorders; nervous system, endocrine and infectious diseases; cancers; and congenital malformations.
“These findings suggest that preterm birth should be recognized as a significant risk factor for mortality,” Ahmed said. “The risk remains until the third and fourth decades of life. While clinical care during the neonatal period is critical, long-term follow-up care and monitoring for people born preterm is crucial to help mitigate the risks.”
Ahmed said additional research is needed in other populations, especially in low-income and middle-income countries where preterm birth rates are highest. She also highlighted the importance of research that identifies underlying factors contributing to the increased mortality risk after preterm birth.
The study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant No. 438541.
###
Wake Forest University School of Medicine (school.wakehealth.edu) is the academic core of Advocate Health and a recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research that includes Wake Forest Innovations, a commercialization enterprise focused on advancing health care through new medical technologies and biomedical discovery.
END
Preterm birth associated with increased mortality risk into adulthood, study finds
Researchers conduct the first known North American population-based study on preterm birth and adult mortality associations
2024-11-20
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Genome Research publishes a Special Issue on Long-read DNA and RNA Sequencing Applications in Biology and Medicine
2024-11-20
Genome Research publishes a Special Issue on Long-read DNA and RNA Sequencing Applications in Biology and Medicine
November 20, 2024 – Genome Research (https://genome.org) publishes a special issue highlighting advances in long-read sequencing applications in biology and medicine.
In this first of two Special Issues guest-edited by Dr. Ana Conesa, Dr. Alexander Hoischen, and Dr. Fritz Sedlazeck, Genome Research publishes a diverse collection of research and review articles highlighting novel applications and developments in long-read sequencing (LRS). Papers in this issue focus on original research offering novel biological and clinical ...
Dementia risk prediction: Zero-minute assessment at less than a dollar cost
2024-11-20
INDIANAPOLIS – A new study by researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University and Purdue University presents their low cost, scalable methodology for the early identification of individuals at risk of developing dementia. While the condition remains incurable, there are a number of common risk factors that, if targeted and addressed, can potentially reduce the odds of developing dementia or slow the pace of cognitive decline.
“Detection of dementia risk is important for appropriate care management and planning,” said study senior author Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH., of Regenstrief ...
Children’s Hospital Colorado Heart Institute earns national recognition for excellence in cardiomyopathy care
2024-11-20
Children’s Hospital Colorado (Children’s Colorado) has been named a Cardiomyopathy Center of Care by the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF), a national nonprofit committed to improving health outcomes and quality of life for children with cardiomyopathy. Children’s Colorado – the only hospital in Colorado and our 7-state region to make the list – received this recognition for consistently providing high-quality cardiac care and specialized disease management for children with all forms of cardiomyopathy.
“We are honored to receive this recognition ...
Trial shows alcohol-mimicking medication can give laryngeal dystonia patients back their voice
2024-11-20
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Researchers from Mass Eye and Ear conducted a clinical trial of sodium oxybate, an oral medication used to treat narcolepsy, for the treatment of laryngeal dystonia, an often-debilitating neurological condition that impacts speech.
Trial was borne out of patient reports of symptom improvements after consuming alcohol.
A single dose of sodium oxybate significantly improved symptoms for alcohol-responsive patients, with effects lasting up to 5 hours.
The trial involved participants from across the U.S., U.K., and Canada and brings hope to the laryngeal dystonia community, who currently lack effective oral ...
Cigarette smoke alters microbiota, aggravates flu severity
2024-11-20
Highlights:
Cigarette smoke exposure is associated with many different respiratory diseases.
A new study shows that cigarette smoke alters the microbial community in the gut and the oropharynx.
The study shows that the cigarette-smoke induced changes to the microbiota resulted in increased severity of disease in mice infected with influenza A virus.
Washington, D.C.—New research has shown that cigarette smoke can induce disordered oropharyngeal microbiota that aggravates the severity of influenza A ...
Landmark study reveals over 100,000 American youth living with inflammatory bowel disease
2024-11-20
Embargoed until Wednesday, Nov. 20 @ 9AM ET
New York, NY - November 20, 2024 - A groundbreaking study published today in Gastroenterology provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) prevalence in the United States. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the research, led by investigators from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Pennsylvania, estimates that more than 100,000 American youth under the age of 20 live with IBD. The study illustrates ...
Diverse diets of civets in Borneo rainforest allow them to live in same geographical area
2024-11-20
Four closely related civets, a small nocturnal animal found in Africa and Asia, have made the same geographical area in the rainforests of Borneo home. Typically, closely related animal species have difficulty coexisting because they are competing for the same or similar resources. Despite eating the same figs, binturong, small-toothed palm, masked palm, and common palm civets do coexist together. To understand how they coexist, researchers used a compound-specific nitrogen isotope analysis to understand the degree of faunivory (eating animals). The results ...
Virtual reality could be gamechanger in police-civilian crisis encounters
2024-11-20
Mental illness significantly increases the risk of arrest during police encounters, with 25% of those with mental health conditions reporting arrest histories. Studies reveal frequent use of excessive force and 25% of fatal police encounters involve individuals with mental illness.
Traditional police training offers limited opportunities for officers to practice handling complex civilian interactions, especially with individuals experiencing mental health crises. This lack of hands-on experience leaves officers ill-prepared to navigate these situations with the necessary empathy and de-escalation ...
Recycled pacemakers function as well as new devices, international study suggests
2024-11-20
Recycled pacemakers can function as well as new devices, a University of Michigan-led study suggests.
These used and reconditioned devices have the potential to increase access to pacemaker therapy in low- and middle-income countries, where many patients cannot afford the treatment.
Researchers from the U-M Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center reported the findings as a late-breaking abstract at the 2024 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
The international clinical trial involved nearly 300 people across seven ...
Researchers eliminate the gritty mouth feel: How to make it easier to eat fiber-rich foods
2024-11-20
Fiber is something that most of us get far too little of. To change that, we need to actually enjoy eating it. Food researchers from the University of Copenhagen have now invented a "disguise" that solves the problem of the dry and gritty mouth feel of fibers.
Think of how it would be to drink a juice with wheat bran in it – you may imagine an unpleasant gritty sensation which would make you less prone to enjoy it.
Unfortunately, this feeling is often associated with insoluble dietary fibers. ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
IBS in America: Despite advances, IBS remains a burden for many millions
Light up our love: Medaka courtship dynamics observed
Consider the chemistry of your quantum materials, say researchers at Columbia
Chemical detective work could be the solution to stolen and repackaged medicine
Dopamine assists female flies eager to mate in enhancing their sensitivity to sounds
Chagos study highlights value of vast Marine Protected Areas
Scared of giving birth? You’re not alone, but stay positive to ease the fear
New study links 2023 Maui wildfire to spike in suicide, overdose
Elevated cdc42 activity is a key initiation event leading to proteinuria.
Walking further and faster is linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks, heart failure and stroke in people with high blood pressure
Nanoparticles that self-assemble at room temperature could transform vaccine delivery
With just a few messages, biased AI chatbots swayed people’s political views
Potatoes may increase risk of type 2 diabetes—depending on their preparation
Three weekly servings of French fries linked to higher diabetes risk
Global hunt for ‘positive tipping points’
Getting the most out of therapy – Therapists report what you should know before starting
Clean energy is here. Getting it to EVs isn’t
Study: Affordable trial programs prevented youth substance misuse
Better access to technology can help African Americans bridge the healthcare gap
Higher risk of ischemic stroke at young age after pregnancy complications
Complicated pregnancies linked to higher risk of early stroke
American Society of Anesthesiologists hosts ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025
Cockatoos perform 30 distinct dance moves and may combine them in unique ways
Common patterns found among scientists with remarkable early-career citation success
Adolescent girls who have weight concerns despite not being obese are more likely to also experience depression and suicidality, per Korean survey of more than 50,000 middle and high school students
What’s in your pup’s bowl? Heavy metals, reveals 10-state survey
Ocean sediments might support theory that comet impact triggered Younger Dryas cool-off
Waiting in line: Why six feet of social distancing may not be enough
Toxic well water will affect household pets first, new study finds
Some young suns align with their planet-forming disks, others are born tilted
[Press-News.org] Preterm birth associated with increased mortality risk into adulthood, study findsResearchers conduct the first known North American population-based study on preterm birth and adult mortality associations