Moretti Jean-Baptiste, Korban Alexandre, Alchourron Émilie, Gervais Sylvie, El Jalbout Ramy
University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Sainte-Justine University Hospital and Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Eur Radiol. 2025 Jun;35(6):3305-3313. doi: 10.1007/s00330-024-11284-4. Epub 2024 Dec 19.
Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) is a non-invasive ultrasound marker of early atherosclerosis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to report the published differences in IMT values in children living with overweight or obesity compared to controls with normal weight.
This review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, including only cohorts with normal controls. Inclusion criteria were IMT measured using B-mode or radiofrequency (RF) techniques and based on the four consensuses: American Heart Association, Association for European Pediatric Cardiology, Mannheim Consensus, and American Society of Echocardiography. We used the body mass index based on the World Health Organization growth standard definitions of obesity in children. Relevant articles were extracted from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science searched from inception to February 2024. A meta-analysis was done by a biostatistician using the R-software version 4.0.2.
We obtained 15 B-mode-based and two RF echo-tracking-based IMT measurement studies. IMT is significantly increased in children living with obesity. The mean IMT was 0.041 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.052; 0.031 higher in children with overweight/obesity, using the B-mode technique, and 0.045 mm, 95% CI: 0.062; 0.029 higher in children with overweight/obesity using RF technique.
This meta-analysis shows that IMT is significantly increased in children with obesity compared to normal-weight children according to both techniques.
Question IMT measured according to known consensuses is significantly increased in children living with obesity. Findings Mean IMT was 0.041 mm higher in children living with obesity using the B-mode technique and 0.045 mm using the RF technique. Clinical relevance There are different techniques to measure IMT in children. This meta-analysis, using cohorts of children living with obesity compared to normal weight controls, shows a significantly increased IMT in children living with obesity.
颈动脉内膜中层厚度（IMT）是早期动脉粥样硬化的一种非侵入性超声标志物。本系统评价和荟萃分析旨在报告超重或肥胖儿童与正常体重对照儿童在IMT值上已发表的差异。
本评价按照PRISMA指南进行，仅纳入有正常对照的队列研究。纳入标准为使用B模式或射频（RF）技术测量的IMT，并基于四项共识：美国心脏协会、欧洲儿科心脏病学会、曼海姆共识和美国超声心动图学会。我们根据世界卫生组织儿童肥胖生长标准定义使用体重指数。从PubMed、Cochrane图书馆、Embase和Web of Science中检索自数据库建立至2024年2月的相关文章。由一名生物统计学家使用R软件4.0.2版进行荟萃分析。
我们获得了15项基于B模式和2项基于RF回声跟踪的IMT测量研究。肥胖儿童的IMT显著增加。使用B模式技术时，超重/肥胖儿童的平均IMT为0.041mm，95%置信区间（CI）：0.052；0.031更高，使用RF技术时，超重/肥胖儿童的平均IMT为0.045mm，95%CI：0.062；0.029更高。
该荟萃分析表明，根据这两种技术，肥胖儿童的IMT与正常体重儿童相比显著增加。
问题 根据已知共识测量的IMT在肥胖儿童中显著增加。发现 使用B模式技术时，肥胖儿童的平均IMT高0.041mm，使用RF技术时高0.045mm。临床意义 有不同的技术用于测量儿童的IMT。本荟萃分析使用肥胖儿童队列与正常体重对照进行比较，显示肥胖儿童的IMT显著增加。
