Intrauterine life to adulthood: a potential risk factor for chronic kidney disease

Multiple risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD), one of the major cause of morbidity and mortality in adult population globally, have been identified including older age, male gender, family history, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart diseases and various medications. Preterm delivery, affecting more than 10% of the newborns in the United States, is a global concern with increasing incidence over the recent decades. Preterm birth has been linked to multiple medical comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases while its' association with CKD has recently been investigated. Prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) have been associated with increased risk for CKD, specific histopathological examination findings, and CKD-associated risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. In this narrative review our aim is to evaluate and summarize the association between the risk for CKD and prematurity, low birth weight and IUGR along with potential underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.