Simple obesity in children was associated with significantly lower percent flow-mediated dilatation compared to healthy controls (boys: 8.0% vs 14.6%; girls: 7.3% vs 16.3%, both P<0.001), indicating impaired endothelial function.
Case-Control (n=51)
No
Does simple obesity impair endothelial function, as measured by percent flow-mediated dilatation, in children compared to non-obese controls?
Endothelial function is significantly impaired in children with simple obesity, suggesting early atherogenic changes that correlate strongly with diastolic blood pressure.
Effect estimate: Boys: 8.0% vs 14.6%; Girls: 7.3% vs 16.3%
p-value: p=<0.001
Obesity is regarded as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, it is still unclear how childhood obesity is related to atherogenesis. Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be the earliest event in the development of atherosclerosis. We evaluated vascular endothelial function in obese children by measuring percent flow-mediated dilatation, an arterial response to reactive hyperemia. Percent FMD was examined using high-resolution vascular ultrasound in 20 boys (10.0 ± 2.1 yr) and 17 girls (9.6 ± 1.9 yr) with simple obesity. Physical examination, laboratory tests, and carotid ultrasonography were also performed. No atherosclerotic changes were observed in the carotid artery in any of the obese subjects. In the obese children, percent FMD was lower than in non-obese controls, (boys: 8.0 ± 3.7% vs. 14.6 ± 3.8%, P<0.001; girls: 7.3 ± 1.8% vs. 16.3 ± 5.7%, P<0.001). There were significant inverse linear correlations between % FMD and GPT, uric acid (UA), HbA1c, and diastolic blood pressure in the boys. In the girls, significant inverse linear correlations were noted between % FMD and age, waist-hip ratio, percent body fat, fat content, fat-free mass, abdominal fat index, IRI, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. This study showed that endothelial function was impaired in children with simple obesity and that % FMD was an excellent parameter for detecting endothelial dysfunction in these children. While many factors are associated with endothelial dysfunction, the diastolic blood pressure seems to be one of the most important in obese children.
Yasuhiko H. Mori (Wed,) conducted a case-control in Simple obesity (n=51). Simple obesity vs. Non-obese healthy controls was evaluated on Percent flow-mediated dilatation (% FMD) (Boys: 8.0% vs 14.6%; Girls: 7.3% vs 16.3%, p=<0.001). Simple obesity in children was associated with significantly lower percent flow-mediated dilatation compared to healthy controls (boys: 8.0% vs 14.6%; girls: 7.3% vs 16.3%, both P<0.001), indicating impaired endothelial function.