Hemodynamic response to lower body negative pressure in children: a pilot study.

Although head-up tilt and upright standing are common methods used to induce orthostatic stress, lower body negative pressure (LBNP) is another safe and easy technique that induces orthostatic stress independently of gravity. However, the use of LBNP in children has never been investigated. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether LBNP was capable of inducing hemodynamic adaptations in pre-pubertal boys.

Arterial distensibility is reduced in overweight pre- and early pubescent children.

The objective of this study was to examine the differences in arterial distensibility between overweight/obese and normal weight pre- and early pubescent boys and girls. Arterial distensibility was measured in 65 children (43 normal weight and 22 overweight/obese) between the ages of 9 and 12 years. Weight classification was based on age and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) cut-offs and pubertal maturation by Tanner staging.

Differences in left ventricular mass between overweight and normal-weight preadolescent children.

This study examined cardiac and arterial differences between overweight and normal-weight preadolescent children. Twenty children (10.2 +/- 0.