Abstract
Our aim was to assess cardiovascular risk factors that may predict increased carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) in obese children and adolescents. Children and adolescents were included in the cross-sectional study if they were aged 9-19 years and had primary obesity. Besides anthropometric and biochemical measurements, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, measurement of carotid intima media thickness and exercise stress test were performed. We included 103 obese patients and divided them according to the ambulatory blood pressure findings in two groups: obese patients with and without ambulatory hypertension. There were 49 obese patients with and 54 without ambulatory hypertension Univariate analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation of cIMT with age (r = 0.334, p = 0.001), body mass index (r = 0.288, p = 0.004), waist circumference (r = 0.352, p = 0.000), hip circumference (r = 0.288, p = 0.004), night-time systolic blood pressure (r = 0.226, p = 0.027), and peak diastolic blood pressure on exercise test (r = 0.241, p = 0.018). In a stepwise model, age, waist circumference and peak diastolic blood pressure on exercise test were independent predictors of cIMT.
Highlights
Epidemy of obesity lead to rise in prevalence of arterial hypertension [1]
Clinical significance of hypertension is in effect of blood pressure on cardiovascular systemleading to left ventricular hypertrophy and increased carotid intima media thickness
We included 103 obese patients referred for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in the study
Summary
Epidemy of obesity lead to rise in prevalence of arterial hypertension [1]. Rise in the number of children with hypertension will lead to increased number of complications. Clinical significance of hypertension is in effect of blood pressure on cardiovascular systemleading to left ventricular hypertrophy and increased carotid intima media thickness (cIMT). Long term effect of elevated blood pressure results in pathologic remodeling of arterial blood vessels with increased cIMT [2]. Increased cIMT can predict increased risk of stroke and myocardial infarction in adults [3]. Our aim was to ascertain cardiovascular risk factors that may predict increased cIMT in obese children and adolescents
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