Arterial intima-media thickening and endothelial dysfunction in obese Chinese children
Weihua Zhu1, Xianmei Huang, Jin He
1Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310003, Hangzhou, China.
Insights
Childhood obesity accelerates early atherosclerosis, indicated by increased carotid intima-media-thickness and reduced brachial artery flow-mediated dilation. Early intervention is crucial for preventing cardiovascular disease in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Vascular Biology
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern.
- Established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are increasingly observed in obese children.
- Early detection of atherosclerosis in pediatric populations is critical for long-term health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ultrasonographic markers of early atherosclerosis in obese school-age children.
- To correlate these vascular changes with established cardiovascular risk factors.
- To compare findings between obese children and non-obese controls.
Main Methods:
- Comparative study involving 43 obese and 28 non-obese children.
- Assessment of carotid intima-media-thickness (IMT) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) via ultrasonography.
- Measurement of hemodynamic parameters and biochemical markers of dyslipidemia.
Main Results:
- Obese children exhibited significantly increased IMT (0.62 mm vs. 0.46 mm) and reduced FMD (10.9% vs. 18.8%).
- These differences persisted after adjusting for Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood pressure.
- BMI, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and Apo B levels were strongly associated with IMT and FMD alterations.
Conclusions:
- Childhood obesity contributes to the development and progression of early atherosclerosis.
- Hypertension and dyslipidemia exacerbate atherosclerosis in obese children.
- Ultrasonography can identify high-risk obese children for targeted cardiovascular prevention strategies.
Unlabelled:
We studied ultrasonographic signs of early atherosclerosis in relation to established risk factors of cardiovascular disease in 43 obese school-age children compared to 28 non-obese controls. The groups did not show significant differences in age, gender ratio and body height. Mean carotid intima-media-thickness (IMT), carotid haemodynamic parameters, flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery (FMD), and biochemical markers of dyslipidaemia were measured and correlated. IMT was significantly increased (0.62 mm vs. 0.46 mm, P <0.001) and FMD was markedly reduced (10.9% vs. 18.8%, P <0.001) in the obesity group. Differences in IMT and FMD persisted after adjustment for Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood pressure on ANCOVA. BMI was highly associated with increased IMT ( r =0.58, P <0.01) and reduced FMD ( r =-0.42, P <0.01), as were blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and Apo B.
Conclusion:
Childhood obesity seems to contribute to the development and progression of early atherosclerosis, particularly in combination with hypertension and dyslipidaemia. In order to prevent coronary atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular complications, it is vital to control obesity starting from childhood. Ultrasonography of the arterial wall may be used in a clinical setting to identify high-risk patients among severely obese children.
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