Vascular Wall Changes and Arterial Functions in Children with Surgically Repaired Aortic Coarctation.

Objective: We investigated arterial functions by measuring carotid-intima-media thickness, flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery, and distensibility and stiffness of the abdominal aorta as early indicators of cardiovascular risk in children followed up after coarctation repair.

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients with successful repair of coarctation and 27 healthy children were investigated. Two-dimensional echocardiographic images, and carotid and brachial ultrasound studies were performed.