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Characteristics of brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity in Japanese children

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Abstract

Background

Measurement of pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a useful approach for evaluating the severity of atherosclerosis in adults, and, in particular, the measurement of brachial–ankle PWV (baPWV) has been commonly reported as a simple and practicable method. We attempted to investigate how baPWV in healthy children changes with age and gender, in order to assess baPWV in children with risk factors for the early progression of systemic atherosclerosis.

Methods

We measured baPWV in 970 healthy Japanese children (500 boys and 470 girls), and set up the normal baPWV values of children on the basis of age and gender. We also performed linear regression analysis and step-wise multiple regression analysis for evaluating its correlation with baPWV and independent variables for baPWV in children.

Results

The values of baPWV in children were higher in boys than in girls, and baPWV increased with age in both genders. Age, blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were significant determinants of baPWV in both male and female subjects, while the obesity index had no correlation with baPWV.

Conclusion

On the basis of these results, we suggest that baPWV in children is largely influenced by age and gender, and that baPWV gradually increased with age in both genders.

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Abbreviations

PWV:

Pulse wave velocity

baPWV:

Brachial–ankle PWV

ABI:

Ankle–brachial index

BMI:

Body mass index

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

HR:

Heart rate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Nephrology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Graduate School of Medical Science, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan

    Ayumi Niboshi, Kenji Hamaoka & Koichi Sakata

  2. Health and Physical Education, Kyoto University of Education, Kyoto, Japan

    Fumio Inoue

Authors
  1. Ayumi Niboshi
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  2. Kenji Hamaoka
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  3. Koichi Sakata
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  4. Fumio Inoue
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Correspondence to Kenji Hamaoka.

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Niboshi, A., Hamaoka, K., Sakata, K. et al. Characteristics of brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity in Japanese children. Eur J Pediatr 165, 625–629 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-006-0135-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-006-0135-y

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