Factors Predisposing to Hypertension in Subjects Formerly Born Preterm: Renal Impairment, Arterial Stiffness, Endothelial Dysfunction or 
Something Else?

: Subjects formerly born preterm subsequently develop arterial - particularly isolated systolic- hypertension more frequently than their peers born at term. : Numerous factors may influence this predisposition, including an incomplete nephrogenesis, implying the presence of kidneys with a reduced number of nephrons and consequent reduction in haematic filtration, increased sodium absorption and activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, increased arterial rigidity produced by an elastin deficiency previously observed in anatomic specimens of human immature aorta, and reduced endothelial nitric oxide excretion, due to high blood levels of ADMA, a strong direct inhibitor of nitric o…