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

Purpose: 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). Methods and Results: 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 = 98%) were predictors of increased PWV. Augmentation pressure, PPp, and reflection coefficient (R2 = 87.3%) 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 SBP > 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.