Resting heart rate as a predictor of metabolic dysfunctions in obese children and adolescents

Abstract

BackgroundRecent studies have identified that a higher resting heart rate (RHR) is associated with elevated blood pressure, independent of body fatness, age and ethnicity. However, it is still unclear whether RHR can also be applied as a screening for other risk factors, such as hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. Thus, the purpose of the presented study was to analyze the association between RHR, lipid profile and fasting glucose in obese children and adolescents.MethodsThe sample was composed of 180 obese children and adolescents, aged between 7-16 years. Whole-body and segmental body composition were estimated by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Resting heart rate (RHR) was measured by heart rate monitors. The fasting blood samples were analyzed for serum triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and glucose, using the colorimetric method.ResultsFasting glucose, TC, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C and RHR were similar in both genders. The group of obese subjects with a higher RHR presented, at a lower age, higher triglycerides and TC. There was a significant relationship between RHR, triglycerides and TC. In the multivariate model, triglycerides and TC maintained a significant relationship with RHR independent of age, gender, general and trunk adiposity. The ROC curve indicated that RHR has a high potential for screening elevated total cholesterol and triglycerides as well as dyslipidemia.ConclusionElevated RHR has the potential to identify subjects at an increased risk of atherosclerosis development.

Relationship between Resting Pulse Rate and Lipid Metabolic Dysfunctions in Chinese Adults Living in Rural Areas

“…Previous results from American and Israeli Industries Study supported our findings [17]–[19]. In addition, similar relationships were also observed between resting pulse rate and lipid metabolic dysfunctions by Freitas and his colleagues [20], but the correlation was weaker than results from their study (TC: r  = 0.189, TG: r  = 0.215, HDL-C: r  = 0.035, and LDL-C: r  = 0.118). Alternatively, univariate regression analyses showed that resting pulse rate was positively associated with risk of lipid metabolic dysfunctions through dose-response effect ( P for trend <0.05).…”

Resting heart rate in children and adolescents: association with blood pressure, exercise and obesity

“…This is in contrast to stronger evidence in adults for RHR to be a marker of long term disease. It has been suggested that elevated RHR may be a potential measure to screen children with dyslipidaemia who are at risk of future development of atherosclerosis 22. Further study of the potential role of RHR in predicting disease seems warranted, given that it is a simple measurement to undertake and has associations with cardiometabolic risk factors such as elevated BP, physical inactivity, dyslipidaemia and possibly central obesity.…”

Association between resting heart rate and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents

“…Previous studies [12,17,18,22,28] have analyzed the association between cardiovascular risk factors and elevated RHR in adolescents, but several aspects remain less clear. For example, previous studies rarely considered the role of clustering of cardiovascular risk factors and its relationship with RHR in children and adolescents.…”

“…RHR is emerging as an easily measurable clinical parameter that is a predictive marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality [19][20][21]42]. Elevated RHR is associated with higher levels of blood pressure, abdominal obesity, triglycerides, and glucose in children and adolescents [12,17,18,22,28], indicating its potential as a screening tool of cardiovascular risk in children.…”