Association between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the associations between cardiovascular risk factors and arterial stiffness, measured as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), in healthy adolescents.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, 178 male and 84 female adolescents, aged 12 to 18 years, were recruited. Total homocysteine levels, serum lipid profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, fasting glucose levels, fasting insulin levels, and baPWV were measured.


RESULTS
baPWV was significantly higher in male adolescents than in female adolescents. In both sex groups, baPWV was positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, fasting insulin levels, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, triglyceride levels, hs-CRP levels, and total homocysteine levels. In male adolescents, age, total cholesterol level, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and white blood cell counts were positively correlated with baPWV, and, in female adolescents, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were negatively correlated with baPWV. In multivariate analysis, sex, mean blood pressure, BMI, and total homocysteine levels were found to be independent factors associated with baPWV.


CONCLUSIONS
Blood pressure, BMI, sex, and total homocysteine levels were independently associated with arterial stiffness, measured as baPWV, in healthy adolescents, suggesting that these risk factors may be associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis in adolescents.
Im
Jee-Aee
JA
Department of Laboratory Medicine, MizMedi Hospital, Gangseo-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
Ji-Won
JW
Shim
Jae-Yong
JY
Lee
Hye-Ree
HR
Lee
Duk-Chul
DC
D000293:Adolescent; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001916:Brachial Artery; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010991:Plethysmography; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors