All issues > Volume 50(11); 2007

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2007;50(11):1078-1084. Published online November 15, 2007.

Pulse wave velocity and ankle brachial index in obese adolescents

Ji Hye JH Kim¹, Hee Sun HS Koo¹, Young Mi YM Hong¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Young Mi YM Hong ,Email: hongym@chollian.net

Abstract

Purpose
: The prevalence of childhood obesity has doubled over the last 30 years. Obesity-associated sequelae in the vasculature begins in the early stages of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate how pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle brachial index (ABI) change with height, weight and body mass index (BMI) in obese adolescents.
Methods
: Seventy-nine obese adolescents (group 1: 85th BMI<95th percentile, n=40; group 2 (BMI 95th percentile, n=39) were included. The control group(group 3) included 99 healthy adolescents. Brachial- ankle (ba) PWV and ABI were estimated with blood pressure from four extremities. Heart rate (HR), and pre-ejection period/ejection time (PEP/ET) were also estimated. BMI was calculated from individual height and weight. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlations between BMI and PWV.
Results
: Blood pressure and baPWV were significantly higher in group 2, compared to either group 1 or group 3. However, there was no significant difference in ABI, HR and PEP/ET between the groups. PWV showed linear correlation with both BMI and body weight.
Conclusion
: Obesity was associated with higher arterial stiffness in adolescents, which was demonstrated by an increase in PWV. There was no significant correlation between obesity and ABI.

Keywords :Obesity, Cardiovascular diseases, Adolescent, Blood pressure