The relationship between famine exposure during early life and ascending aorta dilatation in adults

The relationship between exposure to famine in early life and the risk of ascending aorta dilatation (AAD) in adulthood is still unclear; therefore, we aimed to examine the association in the Chinese population. We investigated the data of 2598 adults who were born between 1952 and 1964 in Guangdong, China. All enrolled subjects were categorised into five groups: not exposed to famine, exposed during fetal period, and exposed during early, mid or late childhood. AAD was assessed by cardiac ultrasound. Multivariate logistic regression and interaction tests were performed to estimate the OR and CI on the association between famine exposure and AAD. There were 2598 (943 male, mean age 58 center dot 3 +/- 3 center dot 68 years) participants were enrolled, and 270 (10 center dot 4 %) subjects with AAD. We found that famine exposure (OR = 2 center dot 266, 95 % CI 1 center dot 477, 3 center dot 477, P = 0 center dot 013) was associated with elevated AAD after adjusting for multiple confounders. In addition, compared with the non-exposed group, the adjusted OR for famine exposure during fetal period, early, mid or late childhood were 1 center dot 374 (95 % CI 0 center dot 794, 2 center dot 364, P = 0 center dot 251), 1 center dot 976 (95 % CI 1 center dot 243, 3 center dot 181, P = 0 center dot 004), 1 center dot 929 (95 % CI 1 center dot 237, 3 center dot 058, P = 0 center dot 004) and 2 center dot 227 (95 % CI 1 center dot 433, 3 center dot 524, P < 0 center dot 001), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that the effect of famine exposure on the association with AAD was more pronounced in female, current smokers, people with BMI >= 24 kg/m(2) and hypertensive patients. We observed that exposure to famine during early life was linked to AAD in adulthood.