Carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity in obese children and adolescents: The potential bias of tape distance measuring

Kristian Nebelin Hvidt; Michael Hecht Olsen; Jens-Christian Holm; Hans Ibsen

doi:10.1016/j.artres.2013.09.003

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Volume 7, Issue 3-4, September 2013, Pages 234 - 237

Carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity in obese children and adolescents: The potential bias of tape distance measuring

Authors

Kristian Nebelin Hvidt^a^{, b}^{, *}, Michael Hecht Olsen^c^{, d}, Jens-Christian Holm^b, Hans Ibsen^a

^aDivision of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Holbæk, Smedelundsgade 60, Holbæk 4300, Denmark

^bThe Children’s Obesity Clinic, Department of Paediatrics, Copenhagen University Hospital Holbæk, Smedelundsgade 60, Holbæk 4300, Denmark

^cCardiovascular and Metabolic Preventive Clinic, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C, Denmark

^dHypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), School for Physiology, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

^*Corresponding author. Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Holbæk, Smedelundsgade 60, 4300 Holbæk, Denmark. Tel.: +45 59 48 40 73. E-mail addresses: krhv@regionsjaelland.dk (K.N. Hvidt), mho@dadlnet.dk (M.H. Olsen), jhom@regionsjaelland.dk (J.-C. Holm), hib@regionsjaelland.dk (H. Ibsen).

Corresponding Author

Kristian Nebelin Hvidt

Received 11 July 2013, Revised 19 August 2013, Accepted 6 September 2013, Available Online 3 October 2013.

DOI: 10.1016/j.artres.2013.09.003 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Adolescence; Aortic stiffness; Children; Methodology; Obesity; Pulse wave velocity
Abstract: Background: The recommendation for carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) is to use a calliper to measure the aortic length as a straight line. In adults, it has been shown that tape follows the body contours potentially making the distance longer – ultimately a higher cfPWV – interpreted as a higher aortic stiffness. Our objective was to investigate to what extent a tape measurement is influenced by abdominal obesity in children and adolescents.

Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 100 obese patients with age 10–18 years were compared to 50 healthy control individuals. CfPWV was measured by applanation tonometry. The aortic length was determined with tape and a calliper (distance-tape and distance-calliper). The bias of the tape measurements was calculated as distance-tape minus distance-calliper.

Results: The bias of the tape measurements (mean ± SD) was significant in both the obese (Δ 14.6 ± 11.2 mm, P < 0.0001) and the control group (Δ 5.7 ± 5.8 mm, P < 0.0001), and showed a linear relationship with waist-height ratio in the obese group (obese: β = 96.9, CI: 75.3–118.5, P < 0.0001). Likewise, cfPWV was significantly higher when tape was used for the distance measurements in both groups (P values <0.0001). In multiple regression, however, cfPWV for both tape and calliper were significantly lower in the obese compared to the control group (P values <0.01).

Conclusions: The bias of the tape measurements was related to the degree of abdominal obesity. Our results emphasize the importance of the use of a calliper when evaluating cfPWV in obese children and adolescents.
Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

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<Previous Article In Issue

Journal: Artery Research
Volume-Issue: 7 - 3-4
Pages: 234 - 237
Publication Date: 2013/10/03
ISSN (Online): 1876-4401
ISSN (Print): 1872-9312
DOI: 10.1016/j.artres.2013.09.003 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Kristian Nebelin Hvidt
AU  - Michael Hecht Olsen
AU  - Jens-Christian Holm
AU  - Hans Ibsen
PY  - 2013
DA  - 2013/10/03
TI  - Carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity in obese children and adolescents: The potential bias of tape distance measuring
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 234
EP  - 237
VL  - 7
IS  - 3-4
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2013.09.003
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2013.09.003
ID  - Hvidt2013
ER  -

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