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Hartel TC, Oelofse A, De Smidt JJA. Vascular Effects, Potential Pathways and Mediators of Fetal Exposure to Alcohol and Cigarette Smoking during Pregnancy: A Narrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6398. [PMID: 37510630 PMCID: PMC10378932 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20146398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Programming of atherosclerosis results in vascular structure and function alterations, which may be attributed to fetal exposure to maternal tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and several lifestyle factors in the first few years of life. This review aims to study the effects of teratogen exposure in utero on vascular dysfunction in offspring and consider mediators and pathways originating from the fetal environment. (2) Methods: Eligible studies were identified in the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. After the full-text screening, 20 articles were included in the narrative synthesis. (3) Results: The literature presents evidence supporting the detrimental effects of fetal exposure to tobacco smoking on vascular alterations in both human and animal studies. Alcohol exposure impaired endothelial dilation in animal studies, but human studies on both tobacco and alcohol exposure are still sparse. Reduction in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and alterations in the epigenome in infants through the upregulation of pro-oxidative and proinflammatory genes may be the common denominators. (4) Conclusion: While maternal smoking and alcohol consumption have more negative outcomes on the infant in the short term, several factors during the first few years of life may mediate the development of vascular dysfunction. Therefore, more prospective studies are needed to ascertain the long-term effects of teratogen exposure, specifically in South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy C Hartel
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, Cape Town 7530, South Africa
| | - André Oelofse
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, Cape Town 7530, South Africa
| | - Juléy J A De Smidt
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, Cape Town 7530, South Africa
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2
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Moriconi D, Mengozzi A, Duranti E, Cappelli F, Taddei S, Nannipieri M, Bruno RM, Virdis A. The renal resistive index is associated with microvascular remodeling in patients with severe obesity. J Hypertens 2023; 41:1092-1099. [PMID: 37071436 PMCID: PMC10242520 DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000003434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Renal hemodynamics is impaired since the early stage of cardiometabolic disease. However, in obesity, its noninvasive ultrasound assessment still fails to provide pathophysiologic and clinical meaningfulness. We aimed to explore the relationship between peripheral microcirculation and renal hemodynamics in severe obesity. METHODS We enrolled fifty severely obese patients with an indication for bariatric referring to our outpatient clinic. Patients underwent an extensive reno-metabolic examination, paired with Doppler ultrasound and measurement of the renal resistive index (RRI). On the day of the surgery, visceral fat biopsies were collected to perform an ex-vivo complete microcirculatory assessment. Media-to-lumen ratio (M/L) and vascular response to acetylcholine (ACh), alone or co-incubated with N G -nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), were measured. RESULTS Patients were stratified according to their normotensive (NT) or hypertensive (HT) status. HT had lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and higher RRI compared to NT, while the presence and extent of albuminuria were similar between the two groups. Concerning microcirculatory assessment, there were no differences between groups as regards the microvascular structure, while the vasorelaxation to ACh was lower in HT ( P = 0.042). Multivariable analysis showed a relationship between M/L and RRI ( P = 0.016, St. β 0.37) and between albuminuria and the inhibitory response of L-NAME to Ach vasodilation ( P = 0.036, St. β = -0.34). Notably, all these correlations were consistent also after adjustment for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS The RRI and albuminuria relationship with microvascular remodeling in patients affected by severe obesity supports the clinical implementation of RRI to improve risk stratification in obesity and suggests a tight pathophysiologic connection between renal haemodynamics and microcirculatory disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Moriconi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mengozzi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Center for Translational and Experimental Cardiology (CTEC), Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Emiliano Duranti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Federica Cappelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Taddei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Monica Nannipieri
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Agostino Virdis
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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3
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In-utero HIV exposure and cardiometabolic health among children 5-8 years: findings from a prospective birth cohort in South Africa. AIDS 2023; 37:173-182. [PMID: 36476456 PMCID: PMC9751971 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate if in-utero HIV exposure is associated with adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes at 5-8 years of age. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. METHODS We enrolled a random sample of HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed children from the Drakenstein Child Health study, a longitudinal birth cohort study in Cape Town, South Africa, in a cardiometabolic health pilot study. Outcomes were assessed by trained study staff and included: anthropometry, body composition and size, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipids, and insulin resistance using HOMA-IR. We used multivariable linear and log-binomial regression to estimate associations between HIV-exposure and cardiometabolic outcomes, adjusted for child age, sex, height, body size, and maternal factors as appropriate. RESULTS We included 260 children (HEU n = 100, HIV-unexposed n = 160). HEU children had older mothers (median age 30 vs. 26 years), with minimal differences in gestational age and size at birth by HIV-exposure status. In multivariable analyses, HEU children had lower weight-for-age (mean difference -0.35, 95% confidence interval -0.66, -0.05), and height-for-age (mean difference -0.29, 95% confidence interval -0.56, -0.03; z-scores). There were no differences in adiposity, impaired glucose metabolism, or lipid levels by HIV-exposure status. Overall, 12% of children had blood pressure more than 90th percentile, with no differences by HIV-exposure status. CONCLUSION Overall, there were few differences in cardiometabolic outcomes between HEU and HIV-unexposed children in this South African cohort. Although these findings are reassuring, monitoring of cardiometabolic health is important as HEU and HIV-unexposed children enter adolescence and cardiometabolic risk trajectories become established.
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Mizrak I, Asserhøj LL, Lund MAV, Greisen GO, Clausen TD, Main KM, Vejlstrup NG, Jensen RB, Pinborg A, Madsen PL. Aortic distensibility is equal in prepubertal girls and boys and increases with puberty in girls. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2022; 323:H312-H321. [PMID: 35687504 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00097.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Windkessel function is governed by conductance artery compliance that is associated with cardiovascular disease in adults independently of other risk factors. Sex-related differences in conductance artery compliance partly explain the sex-related differences in risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies on sex-related differences in conductance artery function in prepubertal children are few and inconclusive. This study determined conductance artery compliance and cardiac function by magnetic resonance imaging in 150 healthy children (75 girls) aged 7-10 years. Any sex-related difference in conductance artery function was determined with correction for other potential predictors in multivariable linear regression models. Our data showed that ascending (crude mean difference 1.11 95% CI (0.22; 2.01)) and descending (crude mean difference 1.10 95% CI (0.09; 1.91)) aortic distensibility were higher in girls, but differences disappeared after adjustment for pubertal status and other identified potential predictors. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, cardiac output, left ventricle (LV) systolic function, and total peripheral resistance did not differ between the sexes. In girls, heart rate was 7 bpm higher, whereas pulse pressure (by 2 mmHg), and LV end-diastolic volume index (by 7 mL) and stroke volume (by 5 mL) were lower. LV peak filling rate indexed to LV end-diastolic volume was 0.5 s-1 higher in girls. In conclusion, prepubertal girls and boys have equal conductance artery function. Thus, the well-known sex difference in adult conductance artery function seems to develop after the onset of puberty with girls initially increasing aortic distensibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikram Mizrak
- Department of Cardiology, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Fertility Department, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Louise L Asserhøj
- Fertility Department, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,International Center for Research and Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten A V Lund
- Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gorm O Greisen
- Department of Neonatology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tine D Clausen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, North Zealand Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hilleroed, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katharina M Main
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,International Center for Research and Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels G Vejlstrup
- Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rikke B Jensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,International Center for Research and Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anja Pinborg
- Fertility Department, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Per L Madsen
- Department of Cardiology, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Gómez-Sánchez L, Gómez-Sánchez M, Rodríguez-Sánchez E, Patino-Alonso C, Alonso-Dominguez R, Sanchez-Aguadero N, Lugones-Sánchez C, Llamas-Ramos I, García-Ortiz L, Gómez-Marcos MA. Relationship of Different Anthropometric Indices with Vascular Ageing in an Adult Population without Cardiovascular Disease-EVA Study. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11092671. [PMID: 35566797 PMCID: PMC9105296 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11092671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to analyse the capacity of different anthropometric indices to predict vascular ageing and this association in Spanish adult population without cardiovascular disease. A total of 501 individuals without cardiovascular disease residing in the capital of Salamanca (Spain) were selected (mean age: 55.9 years, 50.3% women), through stratified random sampling by age and sex. Starting from anthropometric measurements such as weight, height, and waist circumference, hip circumference, or biochemical parameters, we could estimate different indices that reflected general obesity, abdominal obesity, and body fat distribution. Arterial stiffness was evaluated by measuring carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) using a SphygmoCor® device. Vascular ageing was defined in three steps: Step 1: the participants with vascular injury were classified as early vascular ageing (EVA); Step 2: classification of the participants using the 10 and 90 percentiles of cf-PWV in the study population by age and sex in EVA, healthy vascular ageing (HVA) and normal vascular ageing (NVA); Step 3: re-classification of participants with arterial hypertension or type 2 diabetes mellitus included in HVA as NVA. The total prevalence of HVA and EVA was 8.4% and 21.4%, respectively. All the analysed anthropometric indices, except waist/hip ratio (WHpR), were associated with vascular ageing. Thus, as the values of the different anthropometric indices increase, the probability of being classified with NVA and as EVA increases. The capacity of the anthropometric indices to identify people with HVA showed values of area under the curve (AUC) ≥ 0.60. The capacity to identify people with EVA, in total, showed values of AUC between 0.55 and 0.60. In conclusion, as the values of the anthropometric indices increased, the probability that the subjects presented EVA increased. However, the relationship of the new anthropometric indices with vascular ageing was not stronger than that of traditional parameters. Therefore, BMI and WC can be considered to be the most useful indices in clinical practice to identify people with vascular ageing in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Gómez-Sánchez
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Marta Gómez-Sánchez
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Emiliano Rodríguez-Sánchez
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
- Health Service of Castile and Leon (SACyL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Carmen Patino-Alonso
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
- Statistics Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rosario Alonso-Dominguez
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Natalia Sanchez-Aguadero
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Cristina Lugones-Sánchez
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ines Llamas-Ramos
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
- Health Service of Castile and Leon (SACyL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Luis García-Ortiz
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
- Health Service of Castile and Leon (SACyL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel A. Gómez-Marcos
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (L.G.-S.); (M.G.-S.); (E.R.-S.); (C.P.-A.); (R.A.-D.); (N.S.-A.); (C.L.-S.); (I.L.-R.); (L.G.-O.)
- Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), 37005 Salamanca, Spain
- Health Service of Castile and Leon (SACyL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-923-124465
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Engwa GA, Anye C, Nkeh-Chungag BN. Association between obesity and lung function in South African adolescents of African Ancestry. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:109. [PMID: 35227223 PMCID: PMC8883698 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03164-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is a growing body of literature on the increasing prevalence of obesity in adolescents of Sub-Saharan African ancestry. However, limited data is available on the impact of obesity on pulmonary function. This study assessed the relationship between obesity and lung function in South African adolescents of African ancestry. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 10–14 year old adolescents recruited from middle schools of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Anthropometric measurements were performed. Body mass index (BMI) was converted to percentiles for age and sex and used to classified obesity. Spirometry was performed to assess lung function. Chi-square test of association and binary regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between obesity and airway obstruction. Adjusted linear regression was used to determine the relationship between obesity and lung function parameters. Results A total of 540 adolescents were recruited for the study among which 77 (14.3%) were obese. Lung function parameters: forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were higher (p < 0.001) in obese than in non-obese adolescents while peak expiratory flow (PEF) % and FEV1/FVC ratio were lower (p < 0.05) in obese than non-obese adolescents. Obesity was associated (χ2 = 9.614; p < 0.01) with airway obstruction and obese adolescents were over 1.5 times more likely to have pulmonary obstruction (OR: 1.57; p < 0.05) than their non-obese counterparts. Anthropometric measures were positively associated (p < 0.05) with FVC, FEV1, PEF and/or FEV25-75 but negatively associated with FEV1/FVC ratio. Conclusions Obesity was associated with airway obstruction in South Africa adolescents of African ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwill Azeh Engwa
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, 5117, South Africa
| | - Chungag Anye
- Dayenuel Consulting, Postnet Suites 092, Mthatha, 5099, South Africa
| | - Benedicta Ngwenchi Nkeh-Chungag
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, 5117, South Africa.
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7
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Arnaiz P, Müller I, Seelig H, Gerber M, Bosma J, Dolley D, Adams L, Degen J, Gall S, Joubert N, Nienaber M, Nqweniso S, Aerts A, Steinmann P, du Randt R, Walter C, Utzinger J, Pühse U. Practice Change Needed for the Identification of Pediatric Hypertension in Marginalized Populations: An Example From South Africa. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:877431. [PMID: 35633959 PMCID: PMC9130957 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.877431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hypertension in children has increased globally over the past 20 years; yet, little is known about this issue among disadvantaged communities from low- and middle-income countries. Age-, sex-, and height-adjusted normative tables are the "gold" standard for the diagnosis and estimation of pediatric hypertension worldwide, but it is unclear whether the use of international standards is appropriate for all contexts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare different international references to identify hypertension among South African school-aged children from disadvantaged communities. METHODS Blood pressure, weight, and height were measured in a cohort of 897 children aged 8-16 years from eight peri-urban schools in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Cross-sectional prevalence of hypertension was calculated according to American, German, and global normative tables, as well as pseudo-normative data from the own study population. Isolated systolic hypertension and body mass index (BMI) were considered markers for cardiovascular disease. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare the likelihood of blood pressure categorization with increasing BMI levels. RESULTS Hypertension prevalence ranged from 11.4% with the pseudo-normative study tables to 28.8% based on the German reference. Global guidelines showed the highest agreement both among international standards (92.5% with American guidelines) and with the study reference (72.5%). While the global and the American references presented higher systolic over diastolic hypertension rates (23.6 vs. 10.6% and 24.2 vs. 14.7%, respectively), the American guidelines predicted the highest increased risk for hypertension stage 2 [odds ratio, 1.72 (95% confidence interval: 1.43-2.07)] with raising levels of BMI. CONCLUSION Our results support the heterogeneity of blood pressure estimates found in the South African literature, and highlight the underrepresentation of African children in international guidelines. We call for caution in the use of international standards in different contexts and advocate for the development of normative tables that are representative of the South African pediatric population necessary to ensure an accurate identification of hypertension both from the clinical and epidemiological perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Arnaiz
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Müller
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Harald Seelig
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Gerber
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jacob Bosma
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Danielle Dolley
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Larissa Adams
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Jan Degen
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Gall
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nandi Joubert
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Madeleine Nienaber
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Siphesihle Nqweniso
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Ann Aerts
- Novartis Foundation, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Steinmann
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rosa du Randt
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Cheryl Walter
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Jürg Utzinger
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Uwe Pühse
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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8
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Nkeh-Chungag BN, Engwa GA, Businge C, Kutllovci-Hasani K, Kengne AP, Goswami N. Assessment of the Cardiovascular Risk Profile of Infants Exposed to Pre-eclampsia in-utero: A Prospective Case-Control Study in South African Children of African Ancestry. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:773841. [PMID: 34888368 PMCID: PMC8650009 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.773841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: It has been reported that maternal gestational environment may be programmed to have a significant impact on foetal and offspring health later in life. Studies have shown that children born to pre-eclamptic mothers are prone to obesity, hypertension, and diabetes in their adult life. However, such findings are yet to be established in an African population. This protocol is for a study aiming to investigate the relationship between pre-eclampsia (PE) and cardiovascular risk in children born to pre-eclamptic mothers in a South African population of African descents. Methods: A prospective case-control design will be employed to recruit pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnant women and their offspring after birth. Pregnant women will be assessed for cardiovascular risk factors including PE, obesity, haemodynamics, lipids, glycaemic indices, oxidative stress, and vascular function at 30 weeks of gestation. The cardiovascular risk profile of their offspring will be assessed at birth and 6 weeks later. The difference in cardiovascular risk profile between children born to the pre-eclamptic and normotensive mothers will be compared and the correlation between maternal and offspring cardiovascular risks will be investigated. Discussion: This will be the first prospective study to assess the in-utero effect of cardiovascular risk in offspring born to pre-eclamptic women of African ancestry. It is expected that findings from this study will provide information on the cardiovascular effect of in-utero exposure to PE in a population of African ancestry. This knowledge will advise policy on the management of women with PE with a view of protecting cardiovascular health in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedicta Ngwenchi Nkeh-Chungag
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
| | - Godwill Azeh Engwa
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
| | - Charles Businge
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa
| | | | - Andre P Kengne
- Non-communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nandu Goswami
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa.,Physiology Division, Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Engwa GA, Schmid-Zalaudek K, Anye C, Letswalo BP, Anye PC, Mungamba MM, Sewani-Rusike CR, Goswami N, Nkeh-Chungag BN. Assessment of Anthropometric Indices for Optimal Cut-Offs for Obesity Screening in a South African Adolescent Population. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10111118. [PMID: 34827111 PMCID: PMC8614919 DOI: 10.3390/biology10111118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The diagnosis of obesity in sub-Saharan African children relies on cut-off values for body mass index percentile (pBMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) established in western populations. Hence, this study assessed anthropometric indices to determine optimal cut-off values for obesity screening in the South African adolescent population. Findings from this study showed that the cut-off value for pBMI was p85.2th, which improved the sensitivity of the test by approximately 30% compared to the CDC recommended BMI percentile of p95.0th. Moreover, the optimal cut-off for WHtR was 0.481, which was close to the recommended cut-off value of 0.5. This study reveals a lower pBMI cut-off value, different from the CDC recommended cut-off, for screening obesity in a South African adolescent population and suggests that the optimal pBMI cut-off for obesity screening may be ethnic-specific. Abstract The assessment of obesity in sub-Saharan Africa relies on cut-offs established from western populations. This study assessed anthropometric indices to determine optimal cut-off values for obesity screening in the South African adolescent population. A cross-sectional study involving 1144 (796 females and 348 males) adolescents aged 11–17 years from the Eastern Cape Province of South African was conducted. Anthropometric parameters were measured. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of obesity screening tools and establish cut-offs. The optimal cut-offs for obesity in the cohort using waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) as reference were: neck circumference (NC) = 30.6 cm, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) = 25.9 cm, waist circumference (WC) = 75.1 cm, hip circumference (HC) = 92.15 cm and body mass index percentile (pBMI) = p85.2th. The new pBMI cut-off value at p85.2th improved the sensitivity of the test by approximately 30% compared to the CDC recommended BMI percentile (pBMIr) of p95.0th. When pBMI was used as reference, the optimal cut-offs in the cohort were: WHtR = 0.481, NC = 30.95 cm, MUAC = 27.95 cm, WC = 76.1 cm and HC = 95.75 cm. The WHtR optimal cut-off of 0.481 was close to the recommended cut-off value of 0.5. The predicted prevalence of obesity obtained using cut-offs from ROC analysis was higher than those from recommended references. All cut-off values for the various anthropometric measures generally increased with age for all percentile ranges. This study reveals a lower pBMI cut-off value, different from the CDC recommended cut-off, for screening obesity in a South African adolescent population. The study has established that the optimal pBMI cut-off for obesity screening may be ethnic-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwill Azeh Engwa
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, South Africa;
| | - Karin Schmid-Zalaudek
- Physiology Division, Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, D-5 A 8036 Graz, Austria;
| | - Chungag Anye
- Dayenuel Consulting, Postnet Suites 092, Mthatha 5099, South Africa;
| | - Boitumelo P. Letswalo
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5177, South Africa; (B.P.L.); (M.M.M.); (C.R.S.-R.)
| | - Paul Chungag Anye
- MBCHB Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha 5117, South Africa;
| | - Muhau Muhulo Mungamba
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5177, South Africa; (B.P.L.); (M.M.M.); (C.R.S.-R.)
| | - Constance Rufaro Sewani-Rusike
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5177, South Africa; (B.P.L.); (M.M.M.); (C.R.S.-R.)
| | - Nandu Goswami
- Physiology Division, Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, D-5 A 8036 Graz, Austria;
- Correspondence: (N.G.); (B.N.N.-C.)
| | - Benedicta Ngwenchi Nkeh-Chungag
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, South Africa;
- Correspondence: (N.G.); (B.N.N.-C.)
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Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases and Vascular Function: The Concept of Autoimmune Atherosclerosis. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10194427. [PMID: 34640445 PMCID: PMC8509415 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10194427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) with unknown etiology are increasing in incidence and prevalence. Up to 5% of the population is affected. AIRDs include rheumatoid arthritis, system lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and Sjögren's syndrome. In patients with autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks structures of its own body, leading to widespread tissue and organ damage, which, in turn, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. One third of the mortality associated with autoimmune diseases is due to cardiovascular diseases. Atherosclerosis is considered the main underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases. Currently, because of finding macrophages and lymphocytes at the atheroma, atherosclerosis is considered a chronic immune-inflammatory disease. In active inflammation, the liberation of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrotic factor alpha (TNFa), interleukine-6 (IL-6), IL-1 and other factors like T and B cells, play a major role in the atheroma formation. In addition, antioxidized, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) antibodies, antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and rheumatoid factor (RF) are higher in the atherosclerotic patients. Traditional risk factors like gender, age, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, however, do not alone explain the risk of atherosclerosis present in autoimmune diseases. This review examines the role of chronic inflammation in the etiology-and progression-of atherosclerosis in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In addition, discussed here in detail are the possible effects of autoimmune rheumatic diseases that can affect vascular function. We present here the current findings from studies that assessed vascular function changes using state-of-the-art techniques and innovative endothelial function biomarkers.
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Nkeh-Chungag BN, Engwa GA, Businge C, Mdondolo M, Pajaro Medina M, Goswami N. Assessment of the impact of HIV infection and anti-retroviral treatment on the cardiometabolic health of pregnant mothers and their offspring (ARTMOMSBABES). BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2021; 21:322. [PMID: 34193034 PMCID: PMC8247111 DOI: 10.1186/s12872-021-02130-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is becoming more prevalent in pregnant women though not much data is available for pregnant women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Foetoplacental vascular endothelial dysfunction is thought to be at the origin of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity later on in life. Because HIV and anti-retroviral treatment (ARTs) are associated with endothelial dysfunction, children exposed in utero to these conditions may be at greater risk of developing CVDs. Despite the high prevalence of HIV in pregnant South African women, little is known about the effects of ART on the cardiovascular health of the mother and offspring. Hence, the proposed study intends to investigate how HIV/ARTs may affect the cardiovascular health of the mother and offspring at different time points during the pregnancy and up to 2 years after birth. METHODS A longitudinal case-control study in HIV positive pregnant women on ART and HIV negative pregnant women will be conducted. All pregnant women will be assessed for cardio-metabolic risk factors and markers (lipids, anthropometric and glycaemic indies, oxidative stress), hemodynamic status (blood pressure parameters) and vascular function (arterial compliance, retinal microvasculature, uterine artery mean pulsatility index). Child health will be monitored in utero and postnatally via routine foetal health screening, placental integrity, anthropometry, blood pressure parameters, markers of oxidative stress and endothelial function in cord blood and cardiovascular epigenetic markers in urine. DISCUSSION There is a paucity of studies in South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa as a whole that utilised a longitudinal study model to assess the effects of ARTs on vascular endothelial changes in pregnant women living with HIV and the cardiometabolic health of their offspring. This study will therefore help to monitor changes in cardiometabolic risk during pregnancy and in children exposed in utero to HIV-infection and ART use. Findings from this study will provide useful information for developing guidelines on the use of ARTs in pregnancy and management of cardiometabolic health of the offspring of HIV positive mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedicta Ngwenchi Nkeh-Chungag
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, 5117 South Africa
| | - Godwill Azeh Engwa
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, 5117 South Africa
| | - Charles Businge
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Walter Sisulu University, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha, 5117 South Africa
| | - Mziwohlanga Mdondolo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mthatha Regional Hospital, Private Bag x 5014, Mthatha, 5099 South Africa
| | - Magdevy Pajaro Medina
- Department of Peadiatrics, Mthatha Regional Hospital, Private Bag x 5014, Mthatha, 5099 South Africa
| | - Nandu Goswami
- Physiology Division, Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, 8036 Graz, Austria
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Schmid-Zalaudek K, Brix B, Sengeis M, Jantscher A, Fürhapter-Rieger A, Müller W, Matjuda EN, Mungamba MM, Nkeh-Chungag B, Fredriksen PM, Goswami N. Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Measured by B-Mode Ultrasound to Assess and Monitor Obesity and Cardio-Metabolic Risk in Children and Adolescents. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10050449. [PMID: 34065304 PMCID: PMC8161059 DOI: 10.3390/biology10050449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity raises the need for accurate body fat assessment. Precise methods are at high technical expense, require exposure to ionizing radiation and are limited to institutional investigations, while common body indicators fail to identify excess body fat. Subcutaneous adipose tissue measured by ultrasound is an alternative approach, which was evaluated in relation to commonly applied body indicators to assess cardio–metabolic risk and its applicability in the field. Subcutaneous adipose tissue measured by ultrasound indicated a clear advantage over commonly applied body indicators and implies that severe body fat assessment errors are to be expected when BMI is used as a measure for body fatness in children. Children or adolescents with identical BMIs may have large differences (>200%) in their amount of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Ultrasound provides an easily applicable, reliable and safe method for accurate assessment of obesity and monitoring treatment responses in children and adolescents at cardio–metabolic risk. Abstract Monitoring of children at heightened risk of cardio–metabolic diseases raises the need for accurate assessment of obesity. A standardized approach for measuring subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) by bright-mode ultrasound was evaluated in relation to body indices and anthropometry in a cross-sectional sample of 76 South African children (7–10 years) and 86 adolescents (13–17 years) to assess cardio–metabolic risk. SAT was higher in girls as compared to boys (children: 50.0 ± 21.7 mm > 34.42 ± 15.8 mm, adolescents: 140.9 ± 59.4 mm > 79.5 ± 75.6 mm, p < 0.001) and up to four times higher in adolescents than in children. In children, measures of relative body weight showed only a poor correlation to SAT (BMI: r = 0.607, p < 0.001), while in adolescents, BMI correlated high with SAT (r = 0.906, p < 0.001) based on high rates of overweight and obesity (41.8%). Children with identical BMIs may have large differences (>2–3-fold) in their amount of SAT. The moderate association to systolic (r = 0.534, r = 0.550, p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.402, r = 0.262, p < 0.001) further substantiates that SAT measured by ultrasound provides an accurate, safe and easy applicable approach for monitoring in children and adolescents at cardio–metabolic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Schmid-Zalaudek
- Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Physiology Division, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (B.B.); (A.J.)
- Correspondence: (K.S.-Z.); (N.G.); Tel.: +43-316-3857-3852 (N.G.)
| | - Bianca Brix
- Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Physiology Division, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (B.B.); (A.J.)
| | - Marietta Sengeis
- Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Biophysics Division, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (M.S.); (A.F.-R.); (W.M.)
| | - Andreas Jantscher
- Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Physiology Division, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (B.B.); (A.J.)
| | - Alfred Fürhapter-Rieger
- Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Biophysics Division, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (M.S.); (A.F.-R.); (W.M.)
| | - Wolfram Müller
- Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Biophysics Division, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (M.S.); (A.F.-R.); (W.M.)
| | - Edna N. Matjuda
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa; (E.N.M.); (M.M.M.)
| | - Muhau M. Mungamba
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa; (E.N.M.); (M.M.M.)
| | - Benedicta Nkeh-Chungag
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa;
| | - Per Morten Fredriksen
- School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Kristiania University, 0107 Oslo, Norway;
| | - Nandu Goswami
- Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Physiology Division, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (B.B.); (A.J.)
- Correspondence: (K.S.-Z.); (N.G.); Tel.: +43-316-3857-3852 (N.G.)
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Matjuda EN, Engwa GA, Sewani-Rusike CR, Nkeh-Chungag BN. An Overview of Vascular Dysfunction and Determinants: The Case of Children of African Ancestry. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:769589. [PMID: 34956981 PMCID: PMC8709476 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.769589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The balance between dilatory and constrictive factors is important as it keeps blood vessels in a homeostatic state. However, altered physiological processes as a result of obesity, hypertension, oxidative stress, and other cardiovascular risk factors may lead to vascular damage, causing an imbalance of vasoactive factors. Over time, the sustained imbalance of these vasoactive factors may lead to vascular dysfunction, which can be assessed by non-invasive methods, such as flow-mediated dilation, pulse wave velocity, flow-mediated slowing, retinal vessel analysis, peripheral vascular reactivity, and carotid intima-media thickness assessment. Although there is increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (obesity and hypertension) in children in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about how this may affect vascular function. This review focuses on vasoactive factors implicated in vascular (dys)function, highlighting the determinants and consequences of vascular dysfunction. It further describes the non-invasive methods used for vascular (dys)function assessments and, last, describes the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vascular dysfunction in children of African ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edna N Matjuda
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
| | - Godwill Azeh Engwa
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
| | - Constance R Sewani-Rusike
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
| | - Benedicta N Nkeh-Chungag
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
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