Childhood Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Carotid Vascular Changes in Adulthood

Abstract

Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that cardiovascular risk factors are identifiable in childhood and are predictive of adulthood risk for coronary artery disease (CAD).^1-4 Autopsy studies in youth have also established a strong association between cardiovascular risk factors and early stages of coronary atherosclerosis.^5,6 Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) measured by ultrasound is a reliable and valid noninvasive surrogate end point to assess CAD risk⁷ as it is related to cardiovascular risk factors, the presence and extent of coronary atherosclerosis, and occurrence of coronary events.^8-14 However, most studies of IMT have been performed in middle-aged and elderly populations.