Description

Premature birth is an emerging and important risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease, as both preterm birth rates and infant survival increase worldwide. Hypertension and cardiovascular disease begin in early adulthood in individuals born prematurely, but the reasons especially in regard to the role of preterm birth are unknown. An improved understanding of why hypertension and cardiovascular disease occur in early adulthood in individuals born preterm will enable the development of prevention and treatment strategies to mitigate the burden of cardiovascular disease. Investigators propose to investigate these relationships mechanistically in a clinical trial of subjects born preterm to establish the SSBP (salt sensitivity of blood pressure) phenotype and study its relationship to CVD (cardiovascular disease) compared to a control group of healthy term- born peers. Investigators will then propose to determine if blocking UA (uric acid) formation improves SSBP and cardiovascular function in subjects born preterm.