Korean J Pediatr.  2007 Nov;50(11):1091-1096. 10.3345/kjp.2007.50.11.1091.

Carotid artery intima media thickness in obese children: relation with cardiovascular risk factors

• Lee J
• Kwon HJ
• Park MH
• Jang KY
• Lee KH
• Lee KC
• Son CS
• Lee JW

• KMID: 2279368
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2007.50.11.1091

Abstract

PURPOSE: The of common carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT) is an acknowledged noninvasive marker for early atherosclerotic changes. We investigate whether common carotid IMT is different between obese and normal-weight children and also evaluate the relationships IMT with cardiovascular risk factors.
METHODS
We collected the clinical data (age, sex, pubertal stage, body mass index) and measured blood pressure, glucose, insulin, lipid profiles and adiponectin in 49 obese children (mean age, 12 years) and 24 nonobese children as controls. The control group was composed of 24 nonobese children of the same age, sex and pubertal stage. We measured the carotid IMT of all subjects by B-mode ultrasound with a 7.5-MHz linear transducer and analyzed.
RESULTS
Obese children demonstrated a significantly thicker intima media (mean, 0.34 mm, peak, 0.42 mm) compared to the control group (mean, 0.31 mm, peak, 0.38 mm, P<0.01). IMT was significantly correlated to the BMI (r=0.431, P<0.01), age (r=0.317, P<0.01), total cholesterol (r=0.377, P<0.01), triglyceride (r=0.253, P<0.05) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=0.289, P<0.05). Serum adiponectin was significantly lower in obese children than in controls (11.2 ng/mL vs. 14.7 ng/mL, P<0.05) and negatively related with IMT (r=-0.267, P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Obesity is associated with increased carotid artery IMT in children. Our results suggest vascular changes in obesity seem to occur already in childhood and vascular ultrasonography may helpful for screening cardiovascular complications in obese children.

Keyword

Aterial intima; Obesity; Child; Adiponectin

MeSH Terms

Adiponectin
Blood Pressure
Carotid Arteries*
Carotid Artery, Common
Child*
Cholesterol
Glucose
Humans
Insulin
Lipoproteins
Mass Screening
Obesity
Risk Factors*
Transducers
Triglycerides
Ultrasonography
Adiponectin
Cholesterol
Glucose
Insulin
Lipoproteins