Barker D J
MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton.
BMJ. 1995 Jul 15;311(6998):171-4. doi: 10.1136/bmj.311.6998.171.
The fetal origins hypothesis states that fetal undernutrition in middle to late gestation, which leads to disproportionate fetal growth, programmes later coronary heart disease. Animal studies have shown that undernutrition before birth programmes persisting changes in a range of metabolic, physiological, and structural parameters. Studies in humans have shown that men and women whose birth weights were at the lower end of the normal range, who were thin or short at birth, or who were small in relation to placental size have increased rates of coronary heart disease. We are beginning to understand something of the mechanisms underlying these associations. The programming of blood pressure, insulin responses to glucose, cholesterol metabolism, blood coagulation, and hormonal settings are all areas of active research.
胎儿起源假说认为，妊娠中后期的胎儿营养不良会导致胎儿生长比例失调，并引发日后的冠心病。动物研究表明，出生前的营养不良会使一系列代谢、生理和结构参数持续发生变化。对人类的研究表明，出生体重处于正常范围下限、出生时体型瘦小或相对于胎盘大小而言较小的男性和女性患冠心病的几率更高。我们开始逐渐了解这些关联背后的一些机制。血压调节、胰岛素对葡萄糖的反应、胆固醇代谢、血液凝固以及激素调节等方面都是当前活跃的研究领域。
