Table 3.
Relationships between birthweight and cognitive function mean scores, the ARIC Study
| Recalled birthweight | Linear regression model1 | DWR2 |
DSS2 |
WF2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linear regression coefficient (95% CI2) | Linear regression coefficient (95% CI2) | Linear regression coefficient (95% CI2) | ||
| Exact (n = 3292) | Birthweight (unit of 100 g) | 0.028 (−0.038 to 0.094) | −0.067 (−0.565 to 0.431) | 0.752 (0.174 to 1.331) |
|
| ||||
| Exact3 (n = 3292) | Low birthweight (< 2.5 kg) | Reference | Reference | Reference |
| Medium birthweight (2.5 to 3.9 kg) | −0.076 (−0.286 to 0.133) | 0.004 (−1.570 to 1.578) | 1.078 (−0.749 to 2.905)5 | |
| High birthweight (≥4.0 kg) | −0.051 (−0.291 to 0.189) | 0.170 (−1.637 to 1.978) | 2.608 (0.511 to 4.706)5 | |
|
| ||||
| Non exact4 (n = 3493) | Low birthweight (< 2.5 kg) | Reference | Reference | Reference |
| Medium birthweight (2.5 to 3.9 kg) | 0.281 (−0.031 to 0.592) | 2.928 (0.590 to 5.266) | 2.515 (−0.186 to 5.216)6 | |
| High birthweight (≥4.0 kg) | −0.046 (−0.465 to 0.373) | 1.825 (−1.321 to 4.970) | 2.961 (−0.673 to 6.594)6 | |
Multivariate linear regression model of mean scores of cognitive function tests on birthweight, adjusted for sociodemographic factors (age, gender, race, education, marital status and field center), childhood socioeconomic environment (parental education), parental risk factors (family history of stroke, coronary heart disease and diabetes), health status related variables (body mass index, hypertension and diabetes. LDL and HDL cholesterol, reported cholesterol lowering medication and self reported health status) and behavioral variables (sport index, smoking and drinking status and vital exhaustion).
DWR: Delayed Word Recall; DSS: Digit Symbol Subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised; WF: Word Fluency Tests; CI: confidence interval.
Participants who recalled exact birth weight, converted to birthweight categories
Participants who recalled non exact birthweight
p for trend = 0.004
p for trend= 0.131