An association of maternal age and birth weight with end-stage renal disease in Saskatchewan - Sub-analysis of registered Indians and those with diabetes

Aims: To determine links between birth related factors and end- stage renal disease ( ESRD). Methods: This 1: 3 age, sex, and source population ( registered Indians [ SkRI] and other Saskatchewan people [ OSkP]) matched case-control study, compared maternal age and parity, gestational age, low birth weight ( LBW), and high birth weight ( HBW), between subjects with and without ESRD. Results: Of 1,162 subjects, 277 cases ( 48 SkRI and 229 OSkP) and 601 controls ( 112 SkRI and 489 OSkP) had birth weight information. A trend for increased LBW rates occurred among SkRI and OSkP cases compared to controls ( 10.4 vs. 5.3% and 6.6 vs. 4.3%), and was significant for OSkP female cases ( OR 3.66; 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.05, 12.73). Higher HBW rates occurred in SkRI cases ( 14.6% compared to 11.6% controls; N/ S), and 3/ 5 female SkRI diabetic ESRD ( DESRD) cases were over 3,750 g compared to 1/ 14 controls ( p < 0.05). Only maternal age >= 30 years was an independent predictor for ESRD, particularly for OSkP non- DESRD cases ( OR 2.45; 95% CI 1.03, 5.8). Cases with older mothers had lower mean birth weights than controls ( 3,236 vs. 3,434 g; p = 0.005). Conclusions: Older maternal age may predispose offspring to ESRD through mechanisms that differ for DESRD versus non-DESRD, and that may relate to ethnicity. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.