Comparison of Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Children of Patients with and without Premature Coronary Artery Disease.

INTRODUCTION

Increased Carotid Intima Medial Thickness (CIMT) is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and vascular events like Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and stroke.

AIM

This study was designed to identify whether CIMT is increased in the children of parents with premature coronary artery disease and compare it with age and sex matched controls who are children of normal individuals. We also tried to compare and correlate the changes in CIMT if any, among the study group with relation to family history of diabetes and hypertension.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

It was an observational prospective case control study. Twenty five cases (children of parents with premature coronary artery disease) were recruited as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Age and sex matched controls were recruited from the paediatric Outpatient Department (OPD). The CIMT was measured using ultrasound Doppler as per the protocol by the Mannheim intima media thickness consensus statement.

RESULTS

Ten children out of 25 controls had CIMT of 0.05 cm and 5 out of 25 cases had CIMT of 0.07 cm. The association between cases and controls was not statistically significant. Even though the CIMT increases after 10 years, there is no statistically significant association between cases and controls in the different age groups. Out of the total 48% of the children among the case group had family history of hypertension whereas 28% in the control group. A 33% of children in the case group with family history of hypertension had CIMT of 0.07 cm; 46% of children in case group without family history of hypertension had CIMT of 0.05 cm. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.005). There was no significant association between family history of diabetes mellitus and CIMT in both groups.

CONCLUSION

There was significant association between CIMT in children with family history of premature CAD and family history of hypertension when compared with no family history of hypertension with premature CAD. There was no significant association between CIMT of children with and without family history of premature CAD.