Evaluation of carotid arterial intima-media thickness (IMT) and its relation to clinical parameters in Japanese children

The aim of this study was to evaluate the carotid arterial intima-media thickness (IMT) and its relation to clinical parameters in Japanese children. Fifty-two healthy children (39 boys and 13 girls), aged 6-14 years, were enrolled in this cross-sectional investigation study. IMT of the common carotid artery was determined using ultrasonography. We also investigated anthropometric parameters, blood pressure (BP), lifestyles and blood examinations. The mean value of IMT was 0.4 ± 0.1mm, which was lower than the normal value (1.0mm) in adults. IMT was positively correlated with age (r=0.340) and height (r=0.346) in boys, while it was positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r=0.584) and diastolic BP (DBP) (r=0.563) in girls. In addition, IMT was associated with sleeping hours and hours of watching television (TV) by using stepwise regression analysis. In conclusion, IMT increased with aging, and it was linked to some clinical parameters of atherosclerosis and lifestyles in children. Therefore, this reference data will be helpful for future assessment of age-related change in Japanese children in clinical practice, and IMT might be a good predictor of atherosclerosis in Japanese children.