Assessment of carotid intima media thickness in obese children and adolescents

ABSTRACT

The objectives of the present study aimed to assess the endothelial function in obese children and adolescents by using a non invasive high resolution ultrasound assessment of the carotid intima media thickness [CIMT]. Case control study was conducted on 49 obese children and adolescents comparing them with 34 healthy sex and age matched control group in the New Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University. For all subjects, the following were done full history tacking and clinical examination, anthropometric measurements of obesity in the form weight, height, BMI, skin fold thickness [SFT], waist circumference and hip circumference, laboratory investigations in the form of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, C-peptide, fasting glucose and insulin. Ultrasound measurements of CIMT were done. Positive correlation was found between the CIMT and the anthropometric measurements including weight, BMI, BMI SDS, waist circumference, hip circumference, triceps SFT, subscapular SFT and with the supra-cristal SFT. Also a positive correlation between the CIMT and the total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and fasting insulin were found but there were no significant correlation between the CIMT and fasting glucose or C-peptide, while negative correlation between CIMT and HDL was found. the present study conclude that obese children are at increased risk of having thickened CIMT, especially in relation to weight, BMI, skin fold thickness [SFT], waist circumference, hip circumference, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] and insulin levels