All issues > Volume 50(11); 2007

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2007;50(11):1091-1096. Published online November 15, 2007.

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

Jin J Lee¹, Hyo Jin HJ Kwon¹, Moon Ho MH Park², Ki Young KY Jang¹, Kee-Hyoung KH Lee¹, Kwang Chul KC Lee¹, Chang Sung CS Son¹, Joo Won JW Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Kee-Hyoung KH Lee ,Email: khlee218@kumc.or.kr

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.

Keywords :Aterial intima, Obesity, Child, Adiponectin