South AM, et al. - Researchers assessed if there was an association between prematurity and lower angiotensin-(1-7) in adolescence and if this link is modified by sex and obesity by using generalized linear models. A total of 175 adolescents born preterm and 51 term-born controls were included, and plasma and urine from these subjects was examined to quantify the levels of angiotensin II and angiotensin-(1-7). They found that adolescents who were born preterm had lower circulating angiotensin-(1-7), but higher urinary angiotensin-(1-7), relative to angiotensin II. This indicated the possibility of prematurity altering the renin−angiotensin system, and thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Women and individuals with overweight/obesity had more pronounced perinatal renin−angiotensin system programming, which could possibly increase their risk of developing early cardiovascular disease.