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Infectious diseases are associated with carotid intima media thickness in adolescence

Julia Dratva1, Seraina Caviezel2, Emmanuel Schaffner1

  • 1Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, CH, Socinstrasse 57, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, CH, Petersplatz 1, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.

Atherosclerosis
|November 7, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Childhood infectious diseases may impact adolescent vascular health, particularly in boys. More infections were linked to increased carotid artery intima media thickness (CIMT), an early atherosclerosis marker, suggesting long-term health implications.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric cardiovascular health
  • Infectious disease epidemiology
  • Atherosclerosis research

Background:

  • Childhood inflammatory conditions like obesity are known risk factors for carotid artery intima media thickness (CIMT), an early atherosclerosis indicator.
  • The role of childhood infections as a potential origin for atherosclerosis remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between the number of different infectious diseases experienced in childhood and CIMT in adolescence.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 288 SAPALDIA offspring (aged 8-21 years) underwent clinical examinations including CIMT measurement.
  • Participants and parents reported on lifetime prevalence of specific infectious diseases (e.g., bronchitis, tonsillitis).
  • Multilevel adjusted linear regression analyses were performed, stratified by sex, to assess the association between a cumulative infectious disease score and CIMT.

Main Results:

  • On average, participants reported 1.3 infectious diseases; 22% of boys and 15% of girls reported three or more.
  • Significantly increased CIMT was observed in boys who reported three or more infectious diseases compared to those with none (0.046 mm increase).
  • A similar, though non-significant, trend was observed in girls.

Conclusions:

  • The study suggests a potential early impact of childhood infectious diseases on vascular health, particularly evident in adolescent boys.
  • Observed sex differences in CIMT may be due to variations in vascular vulnerability or pathogen interactions.
  • These findings contribute to understanding the infectious origins of atherosclerosis.
Abstract

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