Arterial stiffness: basic determinants, methods of assessment, and the connection with obesity in children (literature review)

Abstract

The review reflects the features of the structure and function of the arteries. The physiological mechanism of the formation of the pulse wave is described, and various levels of arterial pressure in the aorta and peripheral arteries are explained. Disorders of hemodynamics with a change in resilient-elastic properties of arterial vessels are described. Amplification and augmentation - factors modifying the pulse wave are presented. Also the paper describes the main methods of measuring arterial stiffness at the local, regional and system level, the advantage of direct measurement of the parameters related to the stiffness of the arterial wall, and the method of assessing the local and regional rigidity of the arteries. Separately, a method for determining pulse wave velocity in the carotid-femoral region was presented. Data of age impact on the structure and function of the arteries are presented. As it has been shown it is necessary to study parameters characterizing arterial rigidity in obese children, since this disease increases the incidence of cardiovascular complications in both adults and children. The relationship between the stiffness of arterial vessels and obesity children is considered. Various results of studies of arterial stiffness in children with obesity are presented. The lack of a consensus on the use of method of arterial vessels rigidity studying in childhood patients shows the need for further study of vascular remodeling and factors that may affect the structure of arteries in obese children.

Keywords

• arterial stiffness
• pulse wave velocity
• obesity
• children