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Reference values of aortic pulse wave velocity in a large healthy population aged between 3 and 18 years

Erzsébet Valéria Hidvégi1, Miklós Illyés, Béla Benczúr

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, Heart Institute, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary. pediatriccor@gmail.com

Journal of Hypertension
|September 20, 2012
PubMed

Insights

This study establishes normal aortic pulse wave velocity (PWVao) reference values in children aged 3-18. PWVao shows a flat period in early childhood, with increases correlating with blood pressure after age 9.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric cardiovascular health
  • Vascular physiology
  • Biomedical engineering

Background:

  • Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWVao) is a key cardiovascular risk marker in adults.
  • Limited data exists on normal PWVao values in pediatric populations.
  • Assessing vascular function in children is crucial for early risk identification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine reference values for PWVao in a large, healthy pediatric cohort.
  • To investigate age-related changes in PWVao from childhood to adolescence.
  • To evaluate a novel, non-invasive oscillometric device for pediatric PWVao measurement.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an invasively validated, occlusive, oscillometric device.
  • Examined 3,374 healthy children and adolescents (1802 boys) aged 3-18 years.
  • Collected data on PWVao, blood pressure, and demographic information.

Main Results:

  • Mean PWVao increased from 5.5 m/s to 6.5 m/s in boys and 5.6 m/s to 6.4 m/s in girls (P < 0.05).
  • A plateau in PWVao was observed between ages 3-8 years, preceding a pronounced increase around ages 10-12.
  • PWVao changes aligned with blood pressure trends after age 9, but not in younger children.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the largest dataset of arterial stiffness in healthy children (3-18 years).
  • The employed oscillometric technology is user-friendly for large pediatric populations, including young children.
  • Established reference values aid in assessing pediatric cardiovascular risk and vascular health.
Abstract

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