10.6084/m9.figshare.9986222.v1 Jorge Garcia Jorge Garcia Augusto César Garcia Saab Benedeti Augusto César Garcia Saab Benedeti Simone Helena Caixe Simone Helena Caixe Francisco Mauad Filho Francisco Mauad Filho Carlos Alberto Nogueira-de-Almeida Carlos Alberto Nogueira-de-Almeida Ultrasonographic evaluation of the common carotid intima-media complex in healthy and overweight/obese children SciELO journals 2019 ultrasonography common carotid obesity intima-media complex 2019-10-16 02:58:16 Dataset https://scielo.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Ultrasonographic_evaluation_of_the_common_carotid_intima-media_complex_in_healthy_and_overweight_obese_children/9986222 <p></p><p>Abstract Background Obesity is a global epidemic, including among children. It is therefore necessary to identify cardiovascular changes in overweight/obese children as early as possible. Mode B ultrasonography of the common carotids can be used to precisely evaluate in real time early changes in the thickness of the intima-media complex (IMC), which can detect onset of the atherosclerosis process. Objectives This study compared IMC thickness between schoolchildren with and without overweight/obesity. Methods A sample of 59 children of both sexes, aged 7 to 10 years, were recruited from health centers in São Paulo, Brazil. Children were classified by z scores for body mass index (BMI) into two groups, with or without overweight/obesity. These groups were then compared in terms of IMC thickness. Results The groups were homogenous for age and sex. The mean IMC measurement in the group with overweight/obesity was 0.49 (± 0.07) mm, whereas in the group free from overweight/obesity it was 0.41 (± 0.05) mm (p < 0.01). These differences were maintained when groups with and without overweight/obesity were compared separately by sex and for right and left sides. The coefficient for the correlation between IMC measurement and BMI z score was 0.61 (95% confidence interval = 0.42-0.75). Within the same nutritional status group, there were no differences between sexes or between right and left sides. Conclusions Intima-media thickness was greater among children with overweight/obesity and was directly proportional to BMI z score, denoting increased cardiovascular risk in this group.</p><p></p>