Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2025
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Assessment of aortic elasticity parameters in obese and overweight children
Noor Mohammad Noori1, Maryam Nakhaei-Moghadam1, Alireza Teimouri1
1Children and Adolescents Health Research Center, Research Institute of Cellular and Molecular Science in Infectious Diseases, Zahedan University of Medical Science's, Zahedan, Iran.
Insights
Obese children exhibit increased aortic strain and distensibility, indicating greater aortic elasticity. However, aortic strain beta index and pressure-strain elastic modulus decrease, highlighting the importance of dietary interventions for overweight and obese children to prevent future cardiovascular events.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Aortic elasticity is a crucial predictor of future cardiovascular events in children.
- Childhood obesity is a growing concern with potential long-term health implications.
- Evaluating aortic stiffness in pediatric populations is essential for risk stratification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess and compare aortic stiffness indices in obese and overweight children versus healthy children.
- To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and arterial stiffness in pediatric subjects.
- To determine the impact of obesity on key parameters of aortic elasticity.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 98 children aged 4-16 years was studied, equally divided into obese/overweight and healthy groups.
- Participants were free of pre-existing heart conditions.
- Two-dimensional echocardiography was employed to measure arterial stiffness indices, including aortic strain, aortic distensibility (AD), aortic strain beta (ASβ) index, and pressure-strain elastic modulus (PSEM).
Main Results:
- Obese children demonstrated significantly higher aortic strain and aortic distensibility (AD) compared to healthy and overweight children (p < 0.001).
- Conversely, the aortic strain beta (ASβ) index and pressure-strain elastic modulus (PSEM) were significantly higher in healthy children.
- Systolic blood pressure showed a significant positive correlation with BMI (p < 0.001), while diastolic blood pressure remained unchanged. BMI significantly influenced arterial stiffness, AD, ASβ index, and PSEM.
Conclusions:
- Obesity in children is associated with increased aortic strain and distensibility, but decreased ASβ index and PSEM.
- These findings underscore that altered aortic elasticity in obese children may predispose them to future cardiovascular issues.
- Early dietary interventions are crucial for managing overweight and obesity in children to mitigate risks associated with arterial stiffness.
Background:
Aortic elasticity is a predictor and recognized factor for future cardiovascular events in children. The aim of the study was to evaluate the aortic stiffness in obese and overweight children compared to healthy ones.
Methods:
The study evaluated 98 sex matched children aged 4 to 16 years that were equally distributed in asymptomatic obese or overweight and healthy children groups. All the participants were free of any heart diseases. Arterial stiffness indices were determined using two-dimensional echocardiography.
Results:
The mean ages in the obese and healthy children were 10.40±2.50 years and 10.06±1.53 years, respectively. Aortic strain was significantly higher in obese children (20.70±5.04%), compared to healthy (7.06±3.77%) and overweight children (18.59±8.08%, p < 0.001). Aortic distensibility (AD) was significantly higher in obese children (0.010±0.005 cm < sup > 2 < /sup > dyn-1x10-6), compared to healthy (0.0036±0.004 cm < sup > 2 < /sup > dyn-1x10 < sup > -6 < /sup > ) and overweight children (0.009±0.005 cm < sup > 2 < /sup > dyn-1x10 < sup > -6 < /sup > , p < 0.001). Aortic strain beta (ASβ) index, was significantly higher in healthy children (9.26±6.17). Pressure-strain elastic modulus (PSEM) was significantly higher in healthy children (7.52±4.76 kPa). Systolic blood pressure increased with body mass index (BMI) significantly (p < 0.001) but diastolic blood pressure did not change (p=0.143). BMI had significant effect on arterial stiffness (AS) (β=0.732, p < 0.001), AD (β=0.636, p < 0.001), ASβ index (β=-0.573, p < 0.001) and PSEM (β=-0.578, p < 0.001). Age had significant effect on systolic diameter of the aorta (β=0.340, p < 0.001) and diastolic diameter of the aorta (β=0.407, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
We concluded that aortic strain and aortic distensibility increased in obese children when aortic strain beta index and PSEM decreased. This result suggests that, as atrial stiffness is a predictor for future heart diseases, dietary treatment for children with overweight or obese status is important.
More Related Videos
09:32Measurement of Pulse Propagation Velocity, Distensibility and Strain in an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Mouse Model
Published on: February 23, 2020
09:24O-Ring Aortic Banding Versus Traditional Transverse Aortic Constriction for Modeling Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy
Published on: October 6, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:23Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(two-step method)
01:15Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(one-step method)
Prepare for the Procedure:
01:10Pre-Procedural Guidelines for Assessing Blood Pressure