Pediatric obstructive sleep-disordered breathing is associated with arterial stiffness

Impact of social isolation during COVID-19 on anthropometric data, quality of life, baseline physical activity and aortic pulse wave parameters in children and adolescents in two independent samples

BACKGROUND

The social restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on the routine of children and adolescents, with important consequences such as sleep, eating, and psychological/psychiatric disorders. Even though there are no studies on the subject, it is possible that these changes in habit and routine have also affected arterial stiffness (AS) in this population, which is an important predictor of cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to assess possible changes in AS, anthropometry, and quality of life (QoL) resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents.

METHODS

A controlled observational cross-sectional study was performed with 193 children and adolescents aged 9 to 19 years, allocated into two groups: before the pandemic (BPG) and one year after the pandemic (APG), matched by age and sex. Cardiovascular parameters were measured non-invasively by brachial artery oscillometry with a portable device. The main AS indices evaluated were the augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) derived from the aortic pulse wave. QoL was assessed using the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0).

RESULTS

Regarding QoL, the APG showed a worsening in emotional (p = 0.002) and school-related (p = 0.010) aspects. There was no statistically significant difference for most anthropometric parameters, except for the hip circumference, which was higher in the APG group (p < 0.001). The main predictor of AS in the paediatric population, AIx@75, was shown to be increased in the APG group (p < 0.001). Other cardiovascular parameters were also different, such as peripheral (p = 0.002) and central (p = 0.003) diastolic blood pressure, stroke volume (p = 0.010), and total vascular resistance (p = 0.002), which were shown to be decreased in the APG group, while the heart rate was increased (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that routine changes resulting from the period of social isolation increased cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents, evident by the increase in AIx@75, which is considered to be an important marker of cardiovascular risk in the paediatric population.

Eating behaviour, quality of life and cardiovascular risk in obese and overweight children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Childhood obesity is a major cardiovascular risk factor because it predisposes individuals to comorbidities that are implicated in an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Its origin may be related to poor eating habits, such as the intake of foods of low nutritional value or inadequate eating behaviours related to emotional factors. This work aims to evaluate the relationship between the total body mass of children and adolescents and its association with eating habits, quality of life (QoL), and possible changes in early markers of cardiovascular risk.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional observational study that evaluated anthropometric and cardiovascular parameters, QoL, and eating behaviour in 181 children and adolescents aged between 5 and 13 years. Participants were stratified according to BMI/age into three groups (Adequate Weight, Overweight, and Obesity). Anthropometry included weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, waist-hip ratio, and waist-height ratio. QoL was assessed using the Peds-QL 4.0 questionnaire, and eating behaviour was assessed using the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). Cardiovascular parameters were assessed using the Mobil-O-Graph® device, which measures the pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx@75) to estimate arterial stiffness (AS), which is considered an early marker of cardiovascular disease.

RESULTS

In addition to the increase in anthropometric measurements (p < 0.001), the Obesity group exhibited behaviour related to food intake (p < 0.05). When analysing QoL, a worsening in the social domain was also observed in the Obesity group (p < 0.05). However, PWV and AIx@75 did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Eating behaviour is related to the development of childhood obesity. However, early markers of cardiovascular risk related to AS did not change as a function of total body mass in the children evaluated.

Factors associated with arterial stiffness assessed by pulse pressure amplification in healthy children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence suggests that reducing pulse pressure amplification (PPA) plays an important role in pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular disease. This is a cross-sectional, observational, and analytical study in which we evaluated the associated factors with a greater chance of reducing PPA in 136 healthy children and adolescents aged 8 to 19 years old stratified by gender and age group.

METHODS

Arterial stiffness and vascular and hemodynamic parameters were non-invasively measured using Mobil-O-Graph® (IEM, Stolberg, Germany), a cuff-based oscillometric device. PPA was expressed as the peripheral-to-central pulse pressure ratio (PPp / PPc). Participants with PPA < 1.49 were considered as part of the arterial stiffness group.

RESULTS

In a univariate model, the increase in total vascular resistance, the reflection coefficient and the augmentation pressure were more likely to have arterial stiffness in all groups. The factors most likely to have arterial stiffness (as assessed by the reduction of the PPA) in the multivariate model were increasing age, the reflection coefficient and cardiac index in the total sample, male group and child and adolescent groups. In addition to age in the female group, cardiac output, stroke volume, and AIx@75 were the factors most likely to present arterial stiffness.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show for the first time in children and adolescents that the factors most likely to reduce PPA are related to the reflection wave, which determines aortic pressures and, therefore, left ventricular afterload.

Arterial stiffness indices, pulse wave velocity and central systolic blood pressure, are able to discriminate between obese and non-obese children

The objectives of this study were to verify, first, if arterial stiffness indices can discriminate between obese and healthy children. Second, to evaluate arterial stiffness index predictors and hemodynamic parameters in obese children. Arterial stiffness indices evaluated were pulse wave velocity (PWV), central systolic blood pressure (SBPc), and central pulse pressure (PPc). A cross-sectional, descriptive, comparative study design was used. The sample consisted of 78 normal-weight children (8.1 ± 1.96 years) and 58 obese children (9.0 ± 1.87 years). PWV, PPc, and SBPc were significantly higher in the group of obese children than in the control group. The ROC curve analysis showed that maximum PWV and SBPc sensitivity and specificity in differentiating obese from non-obese children occurred at 4.09 m/s and 86.17 mmHg, respectively. PPc did not exhibit a discriminatory capacity between the two groups. Peripheral systolic blood pressure (SBPp), peripheral pulse pressure (PPp), and PPc (R² = 0.98) were predictors of increased PWV. Augmentation pressure, PPp, and reflection coefficient (R² = 0.873) were predictors of PPc. Age, augmentation index, total vascular resistance, cardiac index, and mean fat percentage (R² = 0.801) were predictors of SBPc.

CONCLUSION

This study shows for the first time that PWV > 4.09 m/s and SBPc > 86.17 mmHg are cut-off points associated with a higher risk of obesity. These results indicate that the simple, rapid, and noninvasive measurement of arterial stiffness adds prognostic information regarding cardiovascular risk, in addition to increased body mass index.

WHAT IS KNOWN

• Overweight and obesity are strongly associated with comorbidities que contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases.

WHAT IS NEW

• This is the first study to show that PWV and SBPc can discriminate obese from non-obese children. These results show that, in addition to an increased BMI, a simple, rapid, and noninvasive measurement of arterial stiffness adds prognostic information on cardiovascular risk.