Examining the Relationship Between Neonatal Epigenetic Age Acceleration and Anthropometric Growth Outcomes of Very Preterm Infants Restricted; Files Only

Abstract

Introduction

Very preterm birth, occurring before 30 weeks of gestation, constitutes about 2% of all births and presents significant mortality risks for infants and mothers. Additionally, very preterm infants are at a heightened risk of developmental and health complications yet remain an understudied population. Epigenetics, particularly DNA methylation and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) as estimated by three epigenetic clocks, has the potential to offer insight into predicting the growth outcomes of these infants. We explored relationships between age acceleration as predicted by three epigenetic clocks (NEOage post-menstrual age (PMA) and post-natal (PNA) clocks, and the PedBE clock) and the height, weight, and head circumference measurements of children born very preterm at 24, 36, and 48 months of age.

 

Methods

This study uses data on ~526 participants from the Neonatal Neurobehavioral and Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants (NOVI) study. We utilized multivariable linear regression models to analyze weight, height, and head circumference measurements against EAA estimated from the PedBE, PMA, and PNA clocks across the specified ages.

 

Results and Conclusion

We found that increased PNA age acceleration was correlated with smaller head circumferences when infants reached 2 and 3 years of age. No confounding by sex or FGR was observed, though interaction by FGR was found. Among those with FGR, PMA age acceleration was associated with lower weight at 2 years, while PNA age acceleration was associated with smaller head circumference at 2 and 3 years. In those without FGR, PMA age acceleration was correlated with lower weight at 2 years and greater height at 4 years. Moreover, PNA age acceleration correlated with smaller head circumference at 2 and 4 years, while PedBE age acceleration was associated with larger head circumference at 3 years. Our findings indicate the existence of significant associations between age acceleration and the growth outcomes of infants born very preterm.

Table of Contents

Introduction ...1

Methods...4

Study Population...4

DNA methylation measurement and processing...4

Age acceleration and clocks...5

Confounding variables...5

Statistical analyses...6

Results...6

Study population...6

Primary analyses ...7

Secondary analyses ...8

Discussion...9

References...12

Tables and Figures...14

Table 1...14

Figure 1A...16

Figure 1B...17

Figure 1C...18

Figure 2A...19

Figure 2B...20

Figure 2C...21

About this Master's Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Epidemiology
Subfield / Discipline	Epidemiology - MPH & MSPH
Degree	M.P.H.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Epidemiology Health Sciences, Public Health Biology, Genetics
Keyword	anthropometric age acceleration epigenetics development preterm
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Todd Everson, Emory University

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