Midway Evaluation - Paschal Ruggajo
Midway Evaluation for the Ph.D degree at the University of Bergen.
Main content
The candidate is affiliated to the Department of Clinical Medicine. Principle Supervisor - Bjørn Egil.
Abstract
Introduction: The Brenner hypothesis states that intrauterine undernutrition could decrease nephron number which later would predispose to hypertension and progressive renal disease. Low birth weight (LBW) and low birth weight in relation to gestational age [termed small for gestational age (SGA)] are the most accessible surrogate markers for intrauterine undernutrition
Main Objective: To test further the Brenner hypothesis by exploring the association between low birth weight and kidney disease progression in the Norwegian population.
Methods: Data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, the Norwegian Renal Registry, the Norwegian Kidney Biopsy Registry and the Norwegian Population Registry were linked.
Results: In the first study we found that low birth weight was associated with increased risk of end-stage renal disease and that siblings of those with low birth weight had no increased risk. In the second study we found that low birth weight was associated with increased risk of progressive renal disease in males with IgA nephropathy, but not in females. In the third study we will investigate whether glomerular histomorphometric differences in IgA nephropathy patients can explain the findings of the second study.
Conclusion: Our results seem to support the Brenner hypothesis that being born with low birth weight or low birth weight in relation to gestational age is a risk factor for progressive renal disease. The effect seems to be modest.
Venue: Laboratory Building (Lab Bygget) rom 5,1/5,2.