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Published on: May 3, 2018
Evaluation of carotid artery stiffness in obese children using ultrasound radiofrequency data technology
Ye Jin1, Yaqing Chen, Qingya Tang
1Department of Medical Ultrasound, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200092 Shanghai, China.
Insights
Obese children exhibit increased carotid arterial stiffness and fatty liver compared to healthy children. Ultrasound radiofrequency data technology accurately detects these differences, enabling early intervention to prevent adult atherosclerosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular research
- Pediatric obesity studies
- Medical imaging technologies
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing concern with potential long-term cardiovascular implications.
- Assessing arterial stiffness in children is crucial for early detection of cardiovascular risk.
- Noninvasive ultrasound techniques offer promising methods for evaluating vascular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare carotid arterial stiffness between obese and healthy children using ultrasound (US) radiofrequency (RF) data.
- To investigate correlations between carotid arterial stiffness parameters and obesity indicators.
- To assess the utility of US RF data technology in quantifying arterial stiffness.
Main Methods:
- Carotid artery stiffness parameters (compliance coefficient, stiffness index, pulse wave velocity) were measured using US RF data technology.
- 71 obese children and 47 healthy controls were included in the study.
- Abdominal US was used to evaluate paraumbilical fat thickness and fatty liver presence.
Main Results:
- Obese children showed significantly higher stiffness index and pulse wave velocity, and lower compliance coefficient compared to controls.
- Obesity indicators like body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, paraumbilical fat thickness, and fatty liver were significantly higher in obese children.
- Pulse wave velocity positively correlated with BMI and blood pressure; compliance coefficient negatively correlated with BMI and blood pressure.
Conclusions:
- Ultrasound RF data technology is a sensitive, noninvasive tool for detecting carotid arterial stiffness differences in obese children.
- Early detection of carotid functional abnormalities and fatty liver in obese children can guide therapeutic interventions.
- Timely intervention may prevent or delay the onset of atherosclerosis in adulthood.
Objectives:
The goals of this study were to investigate the difference in carotid arterial stiffness in obese children compared to healthy children and to study the correlation between carotid arterial stiffness parameters and obesity using ultrasound (US) radiofrequency (RF) data technology.
Methods:
Carotid artery stiffness parameters, including the compliance coefficient, stiffness index, and pulse wave velocity, were evaluated in 71 obese patients and 47 healthy controls with US RF data technology. In addition, all participants were evaluated for fat thickness in the paraumbilical abdominal wall and fatty liver using abdominal US.
Results:
Compared to the control group, the blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), fat thickness in the paraumbilical abdominal wall, presence of fatty liver, and carotid stiffness parameters (stiffness index and pulse wave velocity) were significantly higher in the obese group, whereas the compliance coefficient was significantly lower in the obese group. Furthermore, the pulse wave velocity was weakly positively correlated with the BMI, systolic BP, diastolic BP, and paraumbilical abdominal wall fat thickness, whereas the compliance coefficient was weakly negatively correlated with the systolic BP, BMI, and paraumbilical abdominal wall fat thickness. The presence of a fatty liver was moderately positively correlated with the BMI and weakly positively correlated with the pulse wave velocity.
Conclusions:
Ultrasound RF data technology may be a sensitive noninvasive method that can be used to accurately and quantitatively detect the difference in carotid artery stiffness in obese children compared to healthy children. The detection of carotid functional abnormalities and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in obese children should allow early therapeutic intervention, which may prevent or delay the development of atherosclerosis in adulthood.
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