{"title":"A review of the potential off-target effects of antenatal steroid exposures on fetal development.","authors":"Sean W D Carter, Matthew W Kemp","doi":"10.1017/S2040174425000078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425000078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antenatal steroids (ANS) are one of the most widely prescribed medications in pregnancy, being administered to women at risk of preterm delivery. In the setting of preterm delivery at or below 35 weeks' gestation, systematic review data show ANS reduce perinatal morbidity and mortality, primarily by promoting fetal lung maturation. However, with the expanding use of this intervention has come a growing appreciation for the potential off-target, adverse effects of ANS therapy on wider fetal development. We undertook a narrative literature review of the animal and clinical literature to assess current evidence for adverse effects of ANS exposure and fetal development. This review presents a summary of the evidence relating to the potential for wide-ranging, off-target, adverse effects of ANS therapy on fetal development and programming. We highlight an urgent need for further animal and clinical studies investigating the effects of ANS on the fetal immune, cardiovascular, renal and hepatic systems given a current sparsity of evidence. We also strongly suggest an emphasis on open disclosure, discussion and education of clinicians and patients with regard to the potential benefits and risks of ANS therapy, particularly in late preterm and term gestations where infants derive relatively few benefits from these drugs. We also propose further studies on the optimisation of ANS therapy through improved patient selection and improved dosing regimens based on a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic informed understanding of ANS action on the fetal lung.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Association between paternal physique and obesity in children at the age of 3 years: the Japan Environment and Children's Study.","authors":"Yui Inoue, Maki Yokoyama, Shota Inoue, Matome Imai, Hiroshi Onji, Akiko Yano, Yuka Uchikura, Yuko Matsubara, Keiichi Matsubara, Hirotaka Hamada, Hasumi Tomita, Noriyuki Iwama, Zen Watanabe, Mami Ishikuro, Taku Obara, Hirohito Metoki, Chiharu Ota, Shinichi Kuriyama, Takahiro Arima, Nobuo Yaegashi, Masatoshi Saito, Takashi Sugiyama","doi":"10.1017/S2040174424000473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174424000473","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Obesity during development has been reported to be a determinant factor in the future development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Parental obesity is suggested to be a predictor of children's obesity, and it is important to consider parental factors to prevent NCDs in the progeny. Previously, we showed that paternal height had a stronger association with infant birth weight than paternal body mass index (BMI) in the Japanese population. However, only a few studies have examined the association between paternal physique and postnatal obesity. This study aimed to investigate the association between parental physique and obesity in children at the age of 3. This study used fixed data on 33,291 parent-child pairs from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, an ongoing national birth cohort study. The association between paternal physique (BMI and height) and children's obesity at the age of 3 was examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The higher the paternal BMI quartiles, the higher the odds ratio for obesity in male and female children at 3 years of age (P < 0.0001). However, paternal height quartiles were not associated with male or female obesity. These results differ from the association between paternal physique and infant birth weight, and it is possible that prenatal epigenetic and environmental factors of paternal origin were responsible for the differences between these two studies. The association between paternal BMI and obesity in children at the age of 3 suggests that paternal factors may be involved in the development of NCDs in future progeny.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143670160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abigail L Fowden, Owen R Vaughan, Alison J Forhead
{"title":"Early-life programming of livestock metabolism by glucocorticoids.","authors":"Abigail L Fowden, Owen R Vaughan, Alison J Forhead","doi":"10.1017/S2040174425000091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425000091","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adverse environmental conditions during early life are known to determine adult metabolic phenotype in laboratory species and human populations. However, less is known about developmental programming of adult metabolic phenotype in livestock, given their size and longevity compared to laboratory animals. As maternal and/or fetal glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations rise in stressful conditions during pregnancy, GCs may act as a common mechanism linking early-life environmental conditions to the subsequent metabolic phenotype. This review examines prenatal and longer-term postnatal programming of metabolism by early-life GC overexposure in livestock species with a particular emphasis on sheep. It examines the effects of both cortisol, the natural glucocorticoid and more potent synthetic GCs used clinically to treat threatened pre-term delivery and other conditions during pregnancy. It considers the effects of early- life GC overexposure on the metabolism of specific feto-placental and adult tissues in relation to changes in the growth trajectory, other metabolic hormones and in the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis itself. It highlights the role of GCs as maturational and environmental signals in programming development of a metabolic phenotype fit for survival at birth and future homeostatic challenges. However, the ensuing metabolic phenotype induced by early GC overexposure may become inappropriate for the prevailing postnatal conditions and lead to metabolic dysfunction as functional reserves decline with age. Further studies are needed in livestock to establish whether the metabolic outcomes of early-life GC overexposure are sex-linked, more pronounced in old age and inherited transgenerationally in these species.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143659034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Letícia Pazin Bomfim, Maria Stacy Dos Santos Silva, Ivana Regina da Costa, Karen Gomes Luiz, Débora Hipólito Quadreli, Mariana Beirigo Bispo, Paulo Cezar de Freitas Mathias, Glaura Scantamburlo Alves Fernandes
{"title":"Consumption of low-protein or high-fat diets during peripubertal age alter spermatozoa, testis and epididymis of pubertal rats.","authors":"Letícia Pazin Bomfim, Maria Stacy Dos Santos Silva, Ivana Regina da Costa, Karen Gomes Luiz, Débora Hipólito Quadreli, Mariana Beirigo Bispo, Paulo Cezar de Freitas Mathias, Glaura Scantamburlo Alves Fernandes","doi":"10.1017/S204017442500008X","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S204017442500008X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Since the 1980s, research has linked environmental factors to adult-onset diseases. The DOHaD theory suggests that exposures during development can permanently affect organ function, predisposing individuals to adult diseases. Studies indicate that protein restriction or a high-fat diet (HFD) during this phase impacts adult metabolism since programmed dysfunctions may depend on changes established during puberty, such as the reproductive system. However, there are no studies on the impact of low-protein (LP) or HFD on male testicles during this phase. For this, Male Wistar rats were categorized into three dietary groups: LP (isocaloric low-protein pelletized); HFD; and Control (balanced commercial) until PND 60. This study was approved by the CEUA-UEM. On postnatal day 61, the animals were euthanized for histopathological, sperm count, and oxidative stress assessments in the testis and epididymis. Statistical analyses were conducted following established ethical principles in animal research. The research revealed significant alterations in daily sperm production and transit through the epididymis. Sperm morphology was affected in the experimental groups. Mitochondrial activity increased in the HFD group. Testicular and epididymal histopathology, seminiferous tubule diameter, and germinal epithelium height, as well as the number of Sertoli and Leydig cells, remained unchanged. Stereological analysis revealed tissue remodeling in the epididymis, particularly in the LP group. LP group showed an increase in lipid peroxidation in the oxidative damage test. In conclusion, low-protein and HFD during peripubertal age did not affect postnatal testicular development in rats. However, they impacted sperm quality, potentially affecting fertility and male reproductive system development.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143651588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kristin M Voegtline, Radhika S Raghunathan, David W Sosnowski, Gang Peng, Cathrine Hoyo, Susan K Murphy, Raquel G Hernandez, Sara B Johnson
{"title":"PedBE age and age acceleration in umbilical vein endothelial cells: an examination of infant birth outcomes.","authors":"Kristin M Voegtline, Radhika S Raghunathan, David W Sosnowski, Gang Peng, Cathrine Hoyo, Susan K Murphy, Raquel G Hernandez, Sara B Johnson","doi":"10.1017/S2040174424000333","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174424000333","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The current study examines the application of the Pediatric-Buccal-Epigenetic (PedBE) clock, designed for buccal epithelial cells, to endothelia. We evaluate the association of PedBE epigenetic age and age acceleration estimated from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with length of gestation and birthweight in a racially and ethnically diverse sample (analytic sample <i>n</i> = 333). PedBE age was positively associated with gestational age at birth (<i>r</i> = 0.22, <i>p</i> < .001) and infant birth weight (<i>r</i> = 0.20, <i>p</i> < .001). Multivariate models revealed infants with higher birth weight (adjusted for gestational age) had greater PedBE epigenetic age acceleration (<i>b</i> = 0.0002, <i>se</i> = 0.0007, <i>p</i> = 0.002), though this effect was small; findings were unchanged excluding preterm infants born before 37 weeks' gestation. In conclusion, the PedBE clock may have application to endothelial cells and provide utility as an anchoring sampling point at birth to examine epigenetic aging in infancy.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e7"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143606857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of maternal restraint stress on offspring intestinal microbiota and adipogenesis: insights from in vivo and in vitro studies.","authors":"Takako Kondo, Yuta Tsunematsu, Yu Aoki, Noriyuki Miyoshi, Mitsuo Iinuma, Kumiko Yamada","doi":"10.1017/S2040174425000042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425000042","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The maternal restraint stress animal model is based on a long-term stress paradigm administered to pregnant maternal animals, and these offspring have been shown to exhibit a variety of biochemical defects including obesity. This study aimed to investigate whether maternal restraint stress affects obesity-associated changes in offspring intestinal microbiota and the adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).Pregnant mice were subjected to restraint stress three times daily from gestational Day12 to delivery. Changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota of mothers (during pregnancy and lactation) and their lactating offspring exposed to maternal restraint stress were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Maternal stress altered the maternal microbiota, with reduced Bacteroidetes and increased Firmicutes. While similar trends were observed in offspring, these changes were not statistically significant. However, maternal stress notably reduced microbial diversity in the offspring's intestinal microbiota. Bone marrow-derived MSCs from offspring at weaning were analyzed for adipogenic transcription factors and hormone receptor expression using quantitative PCR. Maternal stress enhanced the adipogenic phenotype of offspring MSCs, as evidenced by increased expression of adipogenic markers (<i>PPARγ</i>, leptin receptor) and a reduced osteogenic phenotype. <i>In vitro</i> induction further confirmed the higher adipocyte differentiation potential in stressed offspring MSCs compared to controls.Our results revealed that maternal restraint stress altered the maternal intestinal microbiota, leading to reduced microbial diversity in offspring, predisposing their MSCs toward an adipocyte phenotype. These finding suggest that modulating the intestinal microbiota of stressed pregnant women may improve the susceptibility to obesity in their children.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e14"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143524961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Diancarlos P de Andrade, Camila M Marques, Dayane C R Andrade, Henrique Laureano, Luana Lenzi, Cláudia S Oliveira, Meire E Pereira, Bonald C Figueiredo
{"title":"Population-based assessment of major congenital malformations in the United States: smoking risk association.","authors":"Diancarlos P de Andrade, Camila M Marques, Dayane C R Andrade, Henrique Laureano, Luana Lenzi, Cláudia S Oliveira, Meire E Pereira, Bonald C Figueiredo","doi":"10.1017/S2040174425000054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425000054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The incidence of congenital malformations (CM) among non-Hispanic White American (NHWA) mothers was reviewed to identify and evaluate the geographic differences in the most frequent CM subtypes associated with smoking and other risk factors. Data on CM were obtained from 150,775 children (2000-2004) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk factors associated with CM development were the mother's age < 21 and > 35 years, body weight gain during pregnancy, anemia, diabetes mellitus, eclampsia (cases of preeclampsia were omitted), smoking, and alcohol use during pregnancy. Among smoking mothers, the most common CM was omphalocele, club foot, cleft lip, and polydactyly. The highest incidences (CM/10,000 births/year) of observed CM in children of smoking mothers were clubfoot, 25.51 cases (Utah), cleft lip, 22.47 (South Dakota), polydactyly, 21.23 (North Dakota), and omphalocele, 13.14 (Montana). The presence of maternal comorbidities, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and their association with other environmental factors can affect the incidence of CM in NHWA mothers. Further comparisons among the American states regarding the overall changes in CM over the last two decades should uncover crucial outcomes in terms of CM and smoking.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e13"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143517261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aleksander L Hansen, Christina Ji-Young Lee, Aldis H Björgvinsdóttir, Tarunveer S Ahluwalia, Charlotte Brøns, Christian Torp-Pedersen, Allan Vaag
{"title":"Differential associations between birthweight and cardiometabolic characteristics among persons with and without type 2 diabetes in the UK Biobank.","authors":"Aleksander L Hansen, Christina Ji-Young Lee, Aldis H Björgvinsdóttir, Tarunveer S Ahluwalia, Charlotte Brøns, Christian Torp-Pedersen, Allan Vaag","doi":"10.1017/S2040174425000066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425000066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. We hypothesised that differential associations between birthweight and clinical characteristics in persons with and without type 2 diabetes may provide novel insights into the role of birthweight in type 2 diabetes and its progression. We analysed UK Biobank data from 9,442 persons with and 254,446 without type 2 diabetes. Associations between birthweight, clinical traits, and genetic predisposition were assessed using adjusted linear and logistic regression, comparing the lowest and highest 25% of birthweight to the middle 50%. Each kg increase in birthweight was associated with higher BMI, waist, and hip circumference, with stronger effects in persons with versus without type 2 diabetes (BMI: 0.74 [0.58, 0.90] vs. 0.21 [0.18, 0.24] kg/m<sup>2</sup>; waist: 2.15 [1.78, 2.52] vs. 1.04 [0.98, 1.09] cm; hip: 1.65 [1.33, 1.97] vs. 1.04 [1.04, 1.09] cm). Family history of diabetes was associated with higher birthweight regardless of diabetes status, albeit with a twofold higher effect estimate in type 2 diabetes. Low birthweight was further associated with prior myocardial infarction regardless of type 2 diabetes status (OR 1.33 [95% CI 1.11, 1.60] for type 2 diabetes; 1.23 [95% CI 1.13, 1.33] without), and hypertension (OR 1.25 [1.23, 1.28] and stroke 1.24 [1.14, 1.34]) only among persons without type 2 diabetes. Differential associations between birthweight and cardiometabolic traits in persons with and without type 2 diabetes illuminate potential causal inferences reflecting the roles of pre- and postnatal environmental versus genetic aetiologies and disease mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e12"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143517258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Larissa Lopes da Cruz, Yuri Karen Sinzato, Verônyca Gonçalves Paula, Matheus Naia Fioretto, Franciane Quintanilha Gallego, Vinícius Soares Barco, Ana Carolina Lima Camargo, José Eduardo Corrente, Luis Antonio Justulin, Tiago Rodrigues, Gustavo Tadeu Volpato, Débora Cristina Damasceno
{"title":"Maternal hyperglycemia and postnatal high-fat diet impair metabolic regulation and autophagy response in the liver of adult female rats.","authors":"Larissa Lopes da Cruz, Yuri Karen Sinzato, Verônyca Gonçalves Paula, Matheus Naia Fioretto, Franciane Quintanilha Gallego, Vinícius Soares Barco, Ana Carolina Lima Camargo, José Eduardo Corrente, Luis Antonio Justulin, Tiago Rodrigues, Gustavo Tadeu Volpato, Débora Cristina Damasceno","doi":"10.1017/S204017442400045X","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S204017442400045X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which the association between maternal hyperglycemia and postnatal high-fat diet (HFD) exposure compromises metabolic parameters and hepatic autophagy in adult female pups. For this, Sprague Dawley rats, female pups from nondiabetic (control = FC) or diabetic (FD) mothers, were fed a standard diet (SD) or HFD from weaning until adulthood (<i>n</i> minimum = 5 rats/group): FC/SD, FC/HFD, FD/SD, and FD/HFD. In adulthood, these rats were tested with the oral glucose tolerance test, euthanized, and serum biochemistry parameters were analyzed. Liver samples were collected to evaluate cytokines, redox status, and protein expression autophagy and apoptosis markers. Histomorphometric analyses and an assessment of lipofuscin accumulation were also performed to reflect incomplete autolysosomal digestion. The FC/HFD, FD/SD, and FD/HFD groups showed glucose intolerance and an increased number of hepatocytes. Furthermore, FD/SD and FD/HFD rats showed hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance. Adaptations in hepatic redox pathways were observed in the FD/SD group with increased antioxidant defense marker activity. The FD/SD group also exhibited increased autophagy protein expression, such as p-AMPK, LC3-II/LC3-I, and p62/SQSTM1, lipofuscin accumulation, and caspase-3 activation. After exposure to HFD, the adult female pups of diabetic rats had a reduced p-AMPK and LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, the presence of steatosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The reduction of autophagy, stimulated by HFD, may be of vital importance for the susceptibility to metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease induced by maternal diabetes.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143460227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Audrey Urquhart, Alexandra R Sitarik, Andrea E Cassidy-Bushrow, Amanda Cyrus, Katherine Graham-McNeil, Jennifer K Straughen, Sara Santarossa, Ganesa Wegienka, Christine Cole Johnson
{"title":"Factors associated with attrition in a diverse birth cohort study in Detroit, Michigan.","authors":"Audrey Urquhart, Alexandra R Sitarik, Andrea E Cassidy-Bushrow, Amanda Cyrus, Katherine Graham-McNeil, Jennifer K Straughen, Sara Santarossa, Ganesa Wegienka, Christine Cole Johnson","doi":"10.1017/S2040174425000029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425000029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Long-term birth cohorts are essential for studying health and disease over the life course. The retention of participants remains a challenge in study design. Previous research works on attrition are limited in length of follow-up time and lack of racial/ethnic diversity. Using data from the Wayne County Health, Environment, Allergy, and Asthma Longitudinal Study (WHEALS; United States cohort born between 2004 and 2007, <i>n</i> = 1258), we first performed longitudinal latent class analyses to identify patterns of participation spanning the prenatal period and six follow-up timepoints: 1, 6, 12, and 24 months; 3-6 years; and 10-12 years. Data collection included a combination of in-person visits, home visits, home specimen kits, and staff-administered questionnaires. We examined associations between baseline factors and participation class using multinomial logistic regression modeling, and with conditional inference modeling to identify variables most strongly associated with class. We identified four participation classes: high early participation with gradual loss-to-follow-up, sporadic participation, consistently high participation, and consistently low participation. Multiple baseline characteristics were associated with participation class. The \"consistently high participation\" class was disproportionately composed of participants who were older, were of higher education, had private insurance, had suburban residence, and were with higher income. Conditional inference trees identified maternal education, insurance, and income as most strongly associated with participation class. Through latent class modeling, we show that participants who were lost to follow-up fell into distinct groupings of participation. In the future, preparatory communications with those who are at the highest risk of study discontinuation may improve long-term retention.</p>","PeriodicalId":49167,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease","volume":"16 ","pages":"e10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143441900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}