Department of Radiology, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
Turk J Med Sci. 2014;44(3):422-6. doi: 10.3906/sag-1304-22.
BACKGROUND/AIM: To investigate the age- and sex-associated carotid intima media thickness (clMT) changes in healthy children to determine the age- and sex-specific normal range of values for childhood.
This study examined 91 healthy school-age children aged 7-15 years prospectively. Standardized sonographic cIMT measurements and analyses were performed. Body mass index and blood pressure were obtained, and atherosclerotic risk factors were investigated. Age- and sex-specific cIMT measurements for different age groups were calculated and the relation with sex was investigated.
Regarding the total study group, mean cIMT measurements for age groups 7-9, 10-12, and 13-15 years were 4.1 + 0.5 mm, 4.4 ± 0.6 mm, and 4.6 ± 0.4 mm, respectively. cIMT did not differ between boys and girls in the same age group. Age related analyses showed significant variations among the age groups with positive correlation between cIMT and age.
Our results suggest that age-related physiologic thickening of the carotid artery intima-media occurs not only in adults but also in children and that sex is not a factor for cIMT differences in childhood.
背景/目的：研究健康儿童颈动脉内膜中层厚度（clMT）的年龄和性别相关性变化，以确定儿童时期年龄和性别特异性的正常值范围。
本研究前瞻性地检查了 91 名 7-15 岁的健康学龄儿童。进行了标准化的超声 cIMT 测量和分析。测量了体重指数和血压，并调查了动脉粥样硬化的危险因素。计算了不同年龄组的年龄和性别特异性 cIMT 测量值，并研究了与性别的关系。
在整个研究组中，7-9 岁、10-12 岁和 13-15 岁年龄组的平均 cIMT 测量值分别为 4.1 + 0.5 毫米、4.4 ± 0.6 毫米和 4.6 ± 0.4 毫米。同一年龄组的男孩和女孩之间的 cIMT 没有差异。年龄相关分析显示，不同年龄组之间存在显著差异，cIMT 与年龄呈正相关。
我们的结果表明，颈动脉内膜中层的年龄相关性生理性增厚不仅发生在成年人，也发生在儿童中，并且性不是儿童 cIMT 差异的因素。
