Arterial stiffness in children with and without probable developmental coordination disorder

Area of Science:

• Pediatric cardiovascular health
• Developmental coordination disorder research
• Arterial physiology

Background:

• Children with cardiovascular disease risk factors show arterial changes predicting adult morbidity.
• Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) face elevated cardiovascular risk due to obesity and inactivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate arterial structure and function in children with and without probable DCD (p-DCD).

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 33 children with p-DCD and 53 controls.
• Movement Assessment Battery for Children used for p-DCD classification.
• BOD POD for adiposity assessment; common carotid artery (CCA) compliance, distensibility, and intima-media thickness measured.
• ECG R-wave-to-toe pulse wave velocity (PWV) assessed.

Main Results:

• Males with p-DCD had significantly lower CCA distensibility and higher PWV compared to controls.
• No significant arterial differences were observed in females with p-DCD.
• Body fat percentage predicted CCA distensibility and mediated the effect of p-DCD on PWV in males.

Conclusions:

• Males with p-DCD demonstrate increased arterial stiffness, likely due to higher body fat.
• Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions in males with p-DCD to prevent future cardiovascular disease.