Arterial intima-media thickness, endothelial function, and apolipoproteins in adolescents frequently exposed to tobacco smoke.

Background: Exposure to tobacco smoke is associated with markers of preclinical atherosclerosis in adults, but its effect on arterial structure in adolescents is unknown.

Methods And Results: Healthy 13-year-old adolescents from the atherosclerosis prevention trial STRIP were studied. Maximum carotid and aortic intima-media thickness and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation were measured in 494 adolescents using high-resolution ultrasound.

Decreased aortic elasticity in healthy 11-year-old children exposed to tobacco smoke.

Objective: The goal was to assess the relationship between passive smoking and arterial elasticity in children.

Methods: Healthy 11-year-old children (N = 386) from an atherosclerosis prevention trial (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children) were studied. Aortic and carotid elasticities were determined by using M-mode ultrasound imaging based on measurements of blood pressure and arterial diameter changes during the cardiac cycle.

Arterial intima-media thickness in 13-year-old adolescents and previous antichlamydial antimicrobial use: a retrospective follow-up study.

Background: Children with persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection may be at increased risk for atherosclerosis. The impact of antimicrobial therapy for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is unsolved.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether treatment with antimicrobial agents effective against C pneumoniae during childhood, regardless of indication, has a favorable influence on the arterial wall-thickness in children by the time they reach adolescence.

Tobacco smoke exposure is associated with attenuated endothelial function in 11-year-old healthy children.

Background: Passive smoking is associated with early arterial damage in adults, but its effect on endothelial function in children is unknown.

Methods And Results: Serum cotinine concentration was measured annually in children between 8 and 11 years of age who had participated since infancy in a randomized, prospective atherosclerosis prevention trial (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for children [STRIP]). At age 11, endothelium-dependent flow-mediated vasodilatory responses of the brachial artery were examined with high-resolution ultrasound in 402 children.

Low-saturated fat dietary counseling starting in infancy improves insulin sensitivity in 9-year-old healthy children: the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children (STRIP) study.

Objective: Insulin resistance is promoted already in childhood by obesity and possibly by high-saturated fat intake. We examined the effect of infancy onset biannually given dietary counseling on markers of insulin resistance in healthy 9-year-old children.

Research Design And Methods: Healthy 7-month-old infants (n = 1,062) were randomized to the intervention (n = 540) and control (n = 522) groups.

Impact of repeated lifestyle counselling in an atherosclerosis prevention trial on parental smoking and children's exposure to tobacco smoke.

Aim: To determine whether repeated infancy-onset lifestyle counselling alters parental smoking and children's exposure to tobacco smoke.

Methods: In 1990, 1062 healthy infants were recruited to a randomized, ongoing atherosclerosis prevention trial (STRIP). Intervention families received at least twice a year individualized nutrition and lifestyle counselling.

Increased aortic intima-media thickness in 11-year-old healthy children with persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae seropositivity.

Objective: The relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) infection and arterial measures of preclinical atherosclerosis has remained controversial. Because atherogenesis begins in early life, we examined whether carotid and aortic intima-media thickness (IMT) and brachial artery endothelial function are associated with Cpn seropositivity in children.

Methods And Results: Cpn-specific IgG and IgA antibodies were assessed by enzyme immunoassay in 199 healthy children followed-up annually from 7 to 11 years of age.

Endothelial function in healthy 11-year-old children after dietary intervention with onset in infancy: the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for children (STRIP).

Background: Early childhood introduction of nutritional habits aimed at atherosclerosis prevention reduces children's serum total cholesterol concentration, but its effect on vascular endothelial function is unknown.

Methods And Results: Between 1990 and 1992, we randomized healthy 7-month-old infants (n=1062) to intervention (low-saturated-fat diet) and control (unrestricted diet) groups. At the age of 11 years, endothelium-dependent (flow-mediated) and endothelium-independent (nitrate-mediated) vasodilatory responses of the brachial artery were measured with high-resolution ultrasound in 179 intervention and 190 control children.

Serum lipid profiles poorly correlate with Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, and cytomegalovirus seropositivity in prospectively followed-up healthy children.

Objective: Chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn), Helicobacter pylori (Hp), and herpes virus infections have been associated with atherogenic serum lipid profile and an excess of cardiovascular events in adults. Because mechanisms leading to atherosclerosis are active since early childhood, we examined whether Cpn, Hp, or cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity relates to serum lipid, lipoprotein, or apolipoprotein concentrations in children. We also looked for factors increasing probability of Cpn seropositivity in children.

A prospective study of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in children between 7 months and 8 years of age.

To provide insight into the appearance and longitudinal course of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in childhood, C. pneumoniae immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA and, in selected children, IgM antibodies were measured annually in 199 healthy children, followed prospectively from age 7 months to age 8 y (number of samples 1225) using a commercial enzyme immunoassay kit. IgG antibodies to C.

Effect of 7-year infancy-onset dietary intervention on serum lipoproteins and lipoprotein subclasses in healthy children in the prospective, randomized Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children (STRIP) study.

Background: We previously showed that low-saturated-fat dietary intervention from infancy until 5 years of age safely and effectively reduced serum cholesterol concentration. We now report how such intervention influenced serum lipids, LDL particle size, and HDL subfractions in children when they reached the age of 7 years.

Methods And Results: Healthy 7-month-old infants (n=1062) were randomized to the intervention (n=540) and control (n=522) groups.

Brachial artery dilatation responses in healthy children and adolescents.

To characterize brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in children, we monitored arterial diameter changes with ultrasound between 40 and 180 s after a 4.5-min forearm cuff occlusion-induced hyperemia in 105 healthy children (mean age, 11 yr; range, 9-16 yr). The peak FMD was 7.