Hemodynamic overload and intra-abdominal adiposity in obese children: Relationships with cardiovascular structure and function

Abstract Background and aims Childhood obesity promotes adverse changes in cardiovascular structure and function. This study evaluated whether these changes are related to intra-abdominal adiposity and associated cardiometabolic risk or to body-size induced hemodynamic overload. Methods and results 55 obese children/adolescents and 35 healthy-weight controls underwent carotid, cardiac and abdominal ultrasound to assess carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), diameter, distension and stiffness, left ventricular (LV) dimension, mass and function and extent of intra-abdominal adiposity. As compared to controls with healthy BMI, obese children had higher systolic blood pressure (BP), stroke volume and lower total peripheral resistance ( P P  = 0.01– P P P Conclusions Obese youths present signs of impaired lipid and glucose metabolism, hyperdynamic circulation and cardiovascular changes. Increase in LV dimensions and mass and in carotid diameter and distension seems to reflect adaptation to body-size induced increase in hemodynamic load, changes in LV diastolic performance a negative impact of intra-abdominal adiposity and associated metabolic risk, and increase in IMT both adaptive remodeling and metabolic risk.