Low birth size and final height predict high sympathetic nerve activity in adulthood.

OBJECTIVE: Being born small for gestational age (SGA) is associated with insulin resistance, hypertension and increased cardiovascular morbidity/mortality in adulthood. Sympathetic nerve hyperactivity is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease mortality and is proposed to link insulin resistance with hypertension. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that sympathetic nerve activity is altered in individuals born SGA. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, comparative study of 20 healthy adults (21-25 years old) born SGA (birth weight < -2SD score for healthy newborns) with normal and short stature, and 12 age, gender and body mass index matched individuals, born appropriate for gestational age (AGA) with normal stature. METHODS: Direct recordings of resting sympathetic nerve activity to the muscle vascular bed (MSA) were obtained from the peroneal nerve posterior to the fibular head. Heart rate, respiration and blood pressure were recorded during the microneurographic session. RESULTS: MSA was increased in both groups of young adults born SGA as compared to those born AGA (P < 0.05 and P < 0.005, respectively). In the combined study group MSA was inversely correlated to birth weight, length (r = -0.59, P < 0.001 and r = -0.69, P < 0.0005, respectively) and final adult height (r = -0.58; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Being born SGA and achieving a short final height is associated with increased sympathetic nerve traffic. We suggest that the increase in sympathetic nerve traffic in young adults born SGA with normal and short stature may be the link between low birth size, hypertension and cardiovascular morbidity later in life.

Hábitos e comportamentos familiares e a promoçäo da saúde bucal / Habits and behavior families and the promotion of the oral health

Os hábitos e comportamentos da família säo determinantes para o desenvolvimento, controle e prevençäo da doença cárie nas crianças. Com o objetivo de detectar hábitos e comportamentos inadequados, tanto sociais quanto de higiene, 150 mäes e/ou responsáveis por bebês internados nas enfermarias pediátricas do Hospital Säo Francisco de Paula/UCPel responderam a um questionário em que situaçöes diárias das díades foram analisadas. Os resultados mostraram falta de conhecimento sobre o assunto, somada a hábitos inadequados. Evidencia-se a necessidade de um trabalho multidisciplinar, voltado à educaçäo para a saúde bucal, indispensável a um atendimento integral à criança. Os pais têm papel fundamental nesse processo e devem estar precocemente orientados e conscientes da responsabilidade com a saúde bucal de seus filhos