An Overview of Vascular Dysfunction and Determinants: The Case of Children of African Ancestry

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Pediatric Health
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Vascular homeostasis relies on a balance between dilatory and constrictive factors.
• Cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, and oxidative stress can disrupt this balance, leading to vascular damage.
• Sustained imbalance of vasoactive factors results in vascular dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review vasoactive factors involved in vascular (dys)function.
• To highlight the determinants and consequences of vascular dysfunction.
• To describe non-invasive methods for assessing vascular function.
• To examine the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vascular dysfunction in children of African ancestry.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on vasoactive factors and vascular function.
• Description of non-invasive vascular assessment techniques: flow-mediated dilation, pulse wave velocity, retinal vessel analysis, carotid intima-media thickness, etc.
• Analysis of studies investigating cardiovascular risk factors and vascular health in pediatric populations.

Main Results:

• Cardiovascular risk factors are increasingly prevalent in sub-Saharan African children.
• Little is known about the specific impact of these risk factors on vascular function in this population.
• Vascular dysfunction can be assessed through various non-invasive methods.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the interplay of vasoactive factors is crucial for maintaining vascular health.
• Cardiovascular risk factors pose a significant threat to vascular function, particularly in vulnerable pediatric populations.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vascular dysfunction in children of African ancestry.