ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CAROTID INTIMAMEDIA
THICKNESS AND CARDIOVASCULAR
RISK MARKERS IN OBESE CHILDREN
ELENA DANIELA CĂŞĂRIU1, BOGDANA VIRGOLICI2, MARIA
GREABU2, ALEXANDRA TOTAN2, MIRICESCU DANIELA2,
NICULINA MITREA2, ANGHEL ION3, MARIA MOHORA2*
1.PhD Student,“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy,
Bucharest, Romania and General Practitioner at an Private medical
office
2.“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of
Biochemistry, Bucharest, Romania
3.ENT Clinic Colţea Hospital, “Carol Davila”
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
*corresponding author: mohoramaria@yahoo.com
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Abstract:

Excessive amounts of adipose tissue in children of school age (6-18 years) is widely accepted as coronary heart disease risk factors, such as hypertension and dyslipidemia. Exposure to these cardiovascular risk factors may induce atherogenic changes in the arteries. Measurement of the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery is a non-invasive marker for early atherosclerotic changes. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors which have an impact on common carotid artery intima media thickness (C-IMT) in obese children.
A total of 50 obese children of school age and 50 healthy children and
adolescents with normal weight were enrolled. Correlations between C-IMT and cardiovascular risk factors (dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, resistance to insulin, hyperuricemia) were evaluated by the Pearson test.
C-IMT (0.53mm) was significantly increased in obese children (p < 0.001)
versus the control group (0.41mm). C-IMT was correlated with body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting C peptide, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, total cholesterol, uric acid and fatty liver. Childhood obesity, especially abdominal obesity seems to contribute to the development and progression of early atherosclerosis. Routine measurement of carotid IMT
may be used in order to prevent coronary atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular complications.




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