title: Distensibility of the aorta and carotid artery and left ventricular mass from childhood to early adulthood.
abstract: In adults, arterial distensibility decreases with age and relates to changes in cardiac left ventricular mass. Longitudinal data on changes in arterial distensibility from childhood to adulthood are lacking. Our aim was to study the effect of age and sex, and low-saturated fat dietary counseling on arterial distensibility from childhood to early adulthood. In addition, we assessed the association of arterial distensibility with left ventricular mass. Distensibility of the abdominal aorta and common carotid artery was measured repeatedly at ages 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19 years (n=395-472) in an atherosclerosis prevention trial (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project [STRIP]). Aortic and carotid distensibility decreased with age (both P<0.0001). In boys, distensibility values were generally lower (P<0.0001) and showed steeper decrease by age (age and sex interaction: both P<0.01). The low-saturated fat dietary counseling given in STRIP was not significantly associated with arterial distensibility. Left ventricular mass increased with age (P<0.0001), and it was greater in boys (P<0.0001). In conclusion, a marked age-related decrease in vascular distensibility was found already at this young age, and this decrease was more pronounced in boys than girls. The longitudinal progression of aortic and carotid distensibility was related with changes in left ventricular mass.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00223600.
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.). hanhie@utu.fi.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mikola
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pahkala
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Tapani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rönnemaa
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Jorma S A
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niinikoski
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jokinen
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Simell
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juonala
authors.affiliation: From the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (H.M., K.P., P.S., O.S., M.J., O.T.R.), Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Health and Physical Activity (K.P.), Department of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V.), and Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine (T.R., J.S.A.V., M.J.), Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine (OT.R.), and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (H.N., O.S.), Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; and Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (E.J.).
authors.forename: Olli T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Raitakari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: atherosclerosis; child; prevention & control; ultrasonography