Increases in Peripheral Systolic Pressure Levels and Z-score Associate Gradual Aortic Pressure Increase and Functional Arterial Impairment in Children and Adolescents.

Background: Arterial changes associated with children and adolescents high blood pressure (HBP) states would vary depending on the arterial type, arterial indexes considered and/or on blood pressure (BP) levels.

Aims: To determine in children and adolescents: 1) if there is gradual structural-functional arterial impairment associated with gradual peripheral (brachial) systolic BP (pSBP) level or z-score increases, and 2) whether subjects with HBP levels and those with normal BP differ in the profiles of arterial changes associated with pSBP deviations.

Methods: 1005 asymptomatic children and adolescents were included.

Forward and Backward Aortic Components and Reflection Indexes in Children and Adolescents: Determinants and Role in High Pressure States.

Background: High blood pressure states (HBP) would differ in wave components and reflections indexes, which could associate clinical and prognostic implications. The study aims: 1) to characterize the association of aortic wave components and reflection parameters (backward [Pb], forward [Pf], Pb/Pf ratio and augmentation index [AIx]) with demographic, anthropometric, hemodynamic and arterial parameters in healthy children and adolescents; 2) to generate multivariate prediction models for the associations, to contribute to understand the main determinants of Pf, Pb, Pb/Pf and AIx; 3) to identify if differences in wave reflection indexes observed in HBP could be explained by differences in the analyzed parameters.

Methods: Healthy children and adolescents (n=816, females: 386; Age: 3-20 years) were studied.

DNA Methylation and Age-Independent Cardiovascular Risk, an Epigenome-Wide Approach: The REGICOR Study (REgistre GIroní del COR).

Objective: The objectives of this study were to decipher whether age-independent cardiovascular risk is associated with DNA methylation at 5'-cytosine-phosphate-guanine-3' (CpG) level and to determine whether these differential methylation signatures are associated with the incidence of cardiovascular events.

Approach And Results: We designed a 2-stage, cross-sectional, epigenome-wide association study. Age-independent cardiovascular risk calculation was based on vascular age and on the residuals of the relationship between age and cardiovascular risk.

Comparative Analysis of Arterial Parameters Variations Associated with Inter-Individual Variations in Peripheral and Aortic Blood Pressure: Cross-Sectional Study in Healthy Subjects Aged 2-84 years.

Introduction: The association between arterial parameters and blood pressure (BP) interindividual variations could depend on the arterial segment, BP component (systolic, SBP; diastolic, DBP; pulse pressure, PP) and/or on whether central (cBP) or peripheral (pBP) BP variations are considered.

Aim: To assess and compare arterial parameters variations associated with interindividual variations in cBP and pBP.

Methods: Healthy subjects (n = 923; 488 males, 2-84 years) were included.

Children and Adolescents Macrovascular Reactivity Level and Dynamics, But Not the Microvascular Response, is Associated with Body Mass Index and Arterial Stiffness Levels.

Introduction: The existing evidence indicates that primary prevention of atherosclerotic disease should begin in childhood. Detection of children and adolescents at risk for atherosclerosis may allow early intervention to decrease the atherosclerotic process, thereby preventing or delaying cardiovascular disease. Vascular reactivity (VR) is altered even by early atherosclerosis.

High Central Aortic Rather than Brachial Blood Pressure is Associated with Carotid Wall Remodeling and Increased Arterial Stiffness in Childhood.

Introduction: In adults, central blood pressure (cBP) is reported to associate target organ damages (TODs) rather than peripheral blood pressure (pBP). However, data regarding the association of pre-clinical TODs with cBP and pBP in pediatric populations are scarce.

Aim: To evaluate in children and adolescents the importance of cBP and pBP levels, in terms of their association with hemodynamic and vascular changes.

Changes in Central Aortic Pressure Levels, Wave Components and Determinants Associated with High Peripheral Blood Pressure States in Childhood: Analysis of Hypertensive Phenotype.

The aims were to determine whether children's high peripheral blood pressure states (HBP) are associated with increased central aortic blood pressure (BP) and to characterize hemodynamic and vascular changes associated with HBP in terms of changes in cardiac output (stroke volume, SV), arterial stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity, PWV), peripheral vascular resistances (PVR) and net and relative contributions of reflected waves to the aortic pulse amplitude. We included 154 subjects (mean age 11; range 4-16 years) assigned to one of two groups: normal peripheral BP (NBP, n = 101), defined as systolic and diastolic BP < 90th percentile, or high BP (HBP, n = 53), defined as average systolic and/or diastolic BP levels ≥90th percentile (curves for sex, age and body height). The HBP group included children with hypertensive and pre-hypertensive BP levels.

Children and Adolescent Obesity Associates with Pressure-Dependent and Age-Related Increase in Carotid and Femoral Arteries' Stiffness and Not in Brachial Artery, Indicative of Nonintrinsic Arterial Wall Alteration.

Aim. To analyze if childhood obesity associates with changes in elastic, transitional, and/or muscular arteries' stiffness. Methods.

Childhood Obesity Associates Haemodynamic and Vascular Changes That Result in Increased Central Aortic Pressure with Augmented Incident and Reflected Wave Components, without Changes in Peripheral Amplification.

The aims were to determine if childhood obesity is associated with increased central aortic blood pressure (BP) and to characterize haemodynamic and vascular changes associated with BP changes in obese children and adolescents by means of analyzing changes in cardiac output (stroke volume, SV), arterial stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity, PWV), peripheral vascular resistances (PVR), and net and relative contributions of reflected waves to the aortic pulse wave amplitude. We included 117 subjects (mean/range age: 10 (5-15) years, 49 females), who were obese (OB) or had normal weight (NW). Peripheral and central aortic BP, PWV, and pulse wave-derived parameters (augmentation index, amplitude of forward and backward components) were measured with tonometry (SphygmoCor) and oscillometry (Mobil-O-Graph).