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Updated: May 10, 2026

A Methodological Approach to Non-invasive Assessments of Vascular Function and Morphology
09:33

A Methodological Approach to Non-invasive Assessments of Vascular Function and Morphology

Published on: February 7, 2015

Early Carotid Structural and Functional Changes Associated With Elevated Blood Pressure in Children: A Multimodal

Hui Wang1, Yuanyuan Sheng1, Xueyuan Lin1

  • 1Department of Ultrasound, Shenzhen Medical Ultrasound Engineering Center, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

Journal of Clinical Hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.)
|May 9, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Childhood hypertension is linked to early carotid artery changes, including increased thickness and stiffness. Advanced ultrasound techniques can detect these subtle vascular alterations in children with elevated blood pressure (BP).

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Vascular Ultrasound
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Childhood hypertension predicts adult cardiovascular disease.
  • The carotid artery is a key target organ for elevated blood pressure (BP).
  • Early detection of vascular changes in children is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the association between carotid ultrasound indices and elevated BP in children.
  • To identify early vascular changes using multimodal ultrasound imaging.
  • To evaluate the utility of ultrahigh frequency ultrasound in detecting subtle vascular changes.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control observational study of 118 children (aged 10-11 years).
  • Carotid ultrasound measurements included CIMT, uhf-CIMT, CMT, I/M ratio, and rf-PWV.
  • Multivariate linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, and BMI were used.

Main Results:

  • Children with elevated BP showed higher uhf-CIMT, CMT, rf-PWV, and lower I/M ratio compared to normal BP group (p < 0.05).
  • Systolic BP was most strongly associated with CMT (r = 0.45).
  • Elevated BP remained independently associated with CMT, uhf-CIMT, I/M, and rf-PWV after adjustments (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Elevated BP in children is associated with early carotid structural remodeling and increased arterial stiffness.
  • Ultrahigh frequency ultrasound shows promise in detecting subtle vascular changes in pediatric hypertension.
  • Early vascular assessment in children with elevated BP is essential for cardiovascular risk stratification.

Keywords:
carotidchildelevated blood pressureultrahigh frequency ultrasound

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