Vascular health in children and adolescents: effects of obesity and diabetes

Figures & data

Figure 1 Changes in large and small arterial elasticity with age in children and adults. Measurements acquired using radial artery tonometry and diastolic pulsewave contour analysis in healthy people across the age span. Adapted with permission from Gardner AW, Parker DE. Association between arterial compliance and age in participants 9 to 77 years old. Angiology. 2009; Jul 27. [Epub ahead of print].

Abbreviations: LAEI, large arterial elastic index; SAEI, small arterial elastic index.

Table 1 Summary of changes in vascular measures during child and adult development, and the effects of obesity and type 2 diabetes

	Development pattern in childhood	Change with age in adulthood	Effect of obesity	Effect of type 2 diabetes
Endothelial function	No change or reduced; limited age and developmental stage-related norms	Reduced, preserved in exercisers	Reduced in children and adults	Reduced in adults, no data in children
Arterial compliance	Increased; limited age and developmental stage-related norms	Reduced, preserved in exercisers	Reduced in most studies of children and adults; recent data in children conflicting	Reduced in adults, no change in children
Intima-media thickness	No change or increased slightly	Increased	Increased in most studies (both children and adults), no change in prepubertal children	Increased in adults and adolescents