Increased Arterial Stiffness in Adolescents With Obesity

Increased arterial stiffness (AS) is an early sign of cardiovascular disease. Influence of weight, puberty, and insulin resistance (IR) on AS in adolescents is unclear. Therefore, this study compared AS, assessed with pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx), of adolescents with and without obesity and evaluated the influence of puberty and IR on AS. Sixty-two lean and 61 adolescents with obesity were included. Significantly higher PWV was observed in adolescents with obesity (4.1 ms^-1 [2.4 to 5.6 ms^-1] vs 3.6 ms^-1 [0.4 to 6.1 ms^-1]; P = .01), while AIx was not significant different. However, significantly higher AIx was observed in adolescents with obesity and IR (3.0 [-17.5% to 28.5%] vs -3.0 [-19.0% to 13.0%]; P = .01). For Tanner stages, no differences were observed. The higher PWV in adolescents with obesity and higher AIx in adolescents with obesity and IR both indicate an increased AS. Consequently, measurement of AS should be considered in adolescents with obesity and IR as part of cardiovascular risk assessment.