A study on carotid artery intima-media thickness and metabolic risk factors in overweight and obese Indian children.

INTRODUCTION: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) serves as an early marker of atherosclerosis. Data on obesity-related risk factors and their association with carotid intima-media thickness among overweight and obese children are lacking.
OBJECTIVES: To compare CIMT of overweight and obese children with CIMT of normal BMI children. To compare various anthropometric and metabolic risk factors associated with increased CIMT among overweight and obese children.
METHODS: A descriptive study in a paediatric department of a tertiary care hospital including 50 age-matched normal BMI children and 50 overweight and obese children. Anthropometric data, blood pressure, CIMT (by B-mode ultrasonography), fasting blood sugar, fasting Insulin, fasting lipid profile, TSH, and FT4 were collected. HOMA-IR and fasting glucose-insulin ratio (FGIR) were calculated for insulin resistance. Cutoff for high CIMT was derived using ROC curve analysis.
RESULTS: Overweight and obese children had higher mean CIMT than normal BMI children (0.5 ± 0.1 mm vs 0.34 ± 0.05 mm, respectively, P < 0.001). ROC analysis revealed 0.45 mm as the cutoff for high CIMT. Among overweight and obese children, 31 children (62%) had high CIMT. Among metabolic risk factors for increased CIMT, only FGIR was observed to be significant. Compared to overweight and obese children with normal CIMT, those with higher CIMT had low FGIR value (5.2 ± 2.2 mm vs 6.9 ± 2.6 mm, respectively, P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Overweight and obese children had significantly higher CIMT than controls. Even among overweight and obese children, those with increased CIMT had low FGIR (implying insulin resistance) compared to those with normal CIMT. © The Japan Diabetes Society 2019.