Key result
Childhood hypertension is linked to ~51% higher EATV and increased cIMT versus healthy controls.
Why the study?
The relation between epicardial adipose tissue volume and carotid intima-media thickness in children and adolescents with primary arterial hypertension had not been evaluated using MRI.
Does primary arterial hypertension associate with increased epicardial adipose tissue volume and carotid intima-media thickness assessed by MRI in children?
Case-Control (n=72)
Blinded assessors
No
Does primary arterial hypertension associate with increased epicardial adipose tissue volume and carotid intima-media thickness assessed by MRI in children?
Absolute Event Rate: 16.5% vs 10.9%
p-value: p=<0.001
MRI-derived epicardial adipose tissue volume and carotid intima-media thickness are significantly elevated in healthy-weight children with primary arterial hypertension, highlighting their potential as early biomarkers for cardiovascular risk.
Supports epicardial adipose tissue volume and carotid intima-media thickness as potential early biomarkers in childhood hypertension; hypothesis-generating, needs prospective validation.
BACKGROUND: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a biologically active visceral brown adipose tissue, which is irregularly distributed across myocardium. It has emerged as a potential modifiable cardiometabolic biomarker in adults, demonstrating pro-inflammatory properties with involvement in subclinical atherosclerosis. The increased thickness of the inner two layers of the carotid artery wall (intima and media) in childhood can pose as a risk of the development of atherosclerotic disease and its complications in adult life, representing additional potential biomarker. The purpose of our study was to evaluate a relation between EAT volume (EATV) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with primary arterial hypertension (AH), utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 72 children and adolescents, half of them had an established diagnosis of primary AH and the other half were matched healthy controls. The EATV and cIMT measurements were compared between the two groups and correlated with clinical, anthropometric and functional parameters. RESULTS: . (0.4 [0.1) mm]; U = 54, p < 0.001) compared with their healthy counterparts. EATV demonstrated a significant correlation with cIMT. CONCLUSIONS: Increased EATV and cIMT were found with MRI in hypertensive children compared to their healthy counterparts. EATV demonstrated a stronger association with hypertension than cIMT. EATV emerged as an independent predictor of cIMT.
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Schweighofer et al. (2025) conducted a case-control in Primary arterial hypertension (n=72). Primary arterial hypertension vs. Healthy matched controls was evaluated on Epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV) in cm³ (p=<0.001). Primary arterial hypertension in children was associated with significantly higher epicardial adipose tissue volume (16.5 vs 10.9 cm³) and carotid intima-media thickness (0.7 vs 0.4 mm) compared to healthy controls.
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