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Is small for gestational age status associated with an increased risk of atherogenesis?

Ramona Stroescu1, Ioana Micle2, Otilia Marginean1

  • 1"Louis Turcanu" Emergency Hospital for Children Timisoara, Romania ; "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Romania.

Maedica
|May 3, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Children born small for gestational age (SGA) who become obese show increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), a marker of atherosclerosis. Metabolic factors like high triglycerides and insulin resistance are key predictors of this risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Cardiology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Children born small for gestational age (SGA) are at risk for early-onset obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS).
  • Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, indicating atherogenesis.
  • Understanding the link between SGA, obesity, and CIMT is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the association between being born SGA and CIMT in obese children.
  • To investigate the impact of metabolic risk factors on CIMT in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective study analyzed 122 obese children (26 SGA, 96 appropriate for gestational age [AGA]), matched for age, sex, and BMI.
  • Measurements included blood pressure, lipids, glucose, oral glucose tolerance tests (oGTT), homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) for insulin resistance (IR), and CIMT.
  • Data were collected over a 1-year period.

Main Results:

  • Obese children born SGA exhibited significantly increased CIMT compared to obese AGA children (p=0.0035).
  • CIMT strongly correlated with metabolic factors (r=0.98).
  • Diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and HOMA were significantly related to CIMT in both groups.

Conclusions:

  • Metabolic syndrome components, including high triglycerides, low HDL-cholesterol, IR, and diastolic blood pressure, are strong predictors of increased CIMT in obese children.
  • Being born SGA independently increases the risk of atherogenesis in obese children.

Keywords:
intima media thickness of the common carotid arteryobesitysmall for gestational age

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