Endothelial Function and Mechanical Arterial Properties in Children Born Small for Gestational Age: Comparison with Obese Children

Abstract

Background: Early cardiovascular events preceding atherosclerosis have been reported in children born small for gestational age (SGA). Aims: To describe in detail the mechanical and functional arterial properties of SGA children and to compare the data to those of obese children in order to gain a better understanding of the severity of the dysfunction. A control group was required to overcome the lack of normal values. Methods: Three groups of 7- to 15-year-old children were included. Sixty children born SGA without obesity, 49 children with obesity and not SGA, and 55 controls underwent complete carotid and brachial arterial measurements using ultrasound and flow-mediated dilation. Biological measurements were performed in the obese and SGA groups. Results: Mean blood pressure and intima-media thickness were lower in SGA children than in the obese group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively), but not different from the control group. Flow-mediated dilation was lower in SGA than in obese children and in controls (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These data show that children born SGA have endothelial dysfunction with normal intima-media thickness.

Aortic or Carotid Intima-Media Thickness to Evaluate Children Born Small for Gestational Age?

“…Indeed the recent availability of a fully automated individualized analysis will increase the accuracy of the method. We do not know if our results [2] would have been different with this new technique. In addition to cIMT, a few pediatric studies have measured intima-media thickness in the aorta (aIMT).…”

Endothelial Function and Vascular Properties in Children with Sickle Cell Disease

“…As the main objective was to compare FMD between the two groups, the number of patients needed was calculated to demonstrate a difference of 3%. The expected difference was based on previous results in SCD patients and in obese children . A total of 30 SCD children and 30 matched controls were estimated to be sufficient to provide a significant result with a β value of 0.02 with a unilateral test.…”

The microvasculature: a target for nutritional programming and later risk of cardio‐metabolic disease

“…In a recent study in children aged 7–15 year, it was observed that non‐obese SGA children similarly displayed a lower FMD compared with obese AGA children (Jouret et al . ).…”

“…In infants, vascular dysfunction was evidenced by a significant reduction in acetylcholineinduced vasodilation in the microvasculature and a reduced ability of the brachial artery to dilate in response to increased blood flow following occlusion (Martin et al 2000). In a recent study in children aged 7-15 year, it was observed that non-obese SGA children similarly displayed a lower FMD compared with obese AGA children (Jouret et al 2011).…”