Relação entre biomarcadores inflamatórios e espessamento da intima-média carotídea em crianças obesas pré-púberes

Abstract

Early exposure to cardiovascular risk factors creates a chronic inflammatory state that could damage the endothelium followed by thickening of the carotid intima media. The goal of this project was to study the carotid intima media thickness and its relationship to factors and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in prepubertal children with excess weight. Eightyobese, 18 overweightand 31 normal weightchildrenfromthe Ambulatório de Pediatria do Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro participated in thestudy. Mean, median and frequencies of cardiovascular risk factors and carotid intima media thickness were compared between genders, obese, overweight and normal weight children and between children with insulin resistance and without insulin resistance. The association between cardiovascular risk factors and carotid intima media thickness was investigated using bivariate (or binary) and multivariate logistic regression. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean and median body mass index Z-score (p= 0.02), arterial blood pressure (p=0.04) e adiponectin (p=0.02) between genders. When comparing obese, overweight and normal weight children there were statistically significant differences in the abdominal circumference (p=0.0001), arterial systolic blood pressure (p=0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.001), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (p =0.0001), total cholesterol (p=0.02), HDL cholesterol (p=0.01), LDL cholesterol (p=0.03), triglycerides (p=0.01), C reactive protein (p=0.0001), interleukin 6 (p=0.02), leptin (p=0.0001) and carotid intima media thickness. When comparing insulin resistant and non resistant children there were statistically significant differences between body mass index (p =0.0009), abdominal circumference (p =0.0001), systolic arterial blood pressure (p =0.0001), diastolic arterial blood pressure (p =0.0006), total cholesterol (p =0.0004), triglycerides (p=0.0002), and leptin (p =0.004). Using bivariate logistic regression there was a positive association (p<0.05) between body mass index Z score, abdominal circumference and systolic arterial pressure and right, left and mean intima media thickness. Using multivariate logistic regression there was a positive association between left carotid intima media thickness and body mass index Z score (p=0.02) and systolic arterial pressure (p=0.04) and systolic blood pressure and the mean intima media thickness (p=0.01). These results demonstrate that prepubertal children with excess weight already have factors associated with and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk and the influence of the score Z of the body mass index and systolic arterial blood pressure on the carotid intima media thickness. The prevention of arteriosclerosis must start early, with the identification and the control of cardiovascular risk factors. The pediatrician should encourage the cardiovascular health of children, preventing and/or controlling obesity, orienting the need for regular practice of physical exercises and healthy eating habits.