Abstract
Background
A temporal association where better arterial function and structure predicts adiponectin level and skeletal muscle mass during childhood remains uninvestigated.
Methods
We studied 5566 children and adolescents (51% girls) aged 9-11 years from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort, Bristol, UK. Brachial artery endothelial function was determined using flow-mediated dilation (FMD), expressed as the percentage change in diameter from baseline after reactive hyperemia; arterial elasticity as distensibility coefficient (DC) expressed in mean percentage change in cross-sectional area relative to blood pressure (BP); and arterial stiffness by carotid to radial pulse wave velocity (crPWV). Skeletal muscle mass and total fat mass were assessed by dual-energy Xray absorptiometry. We conducted multivariable linear regressions with Sidak correction and adjusted for age, sex, total fat mass, cardiorespiratory fitness, pubertal status, brachial artery diameter, systolic BP, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, mother’s social-economic class, and time (years) between the measurement of predictors and outcomes.
Results
FMD (β [95% CI]) = (0.027 [0.007 to 0.047]; P = 0.009) and DC (0.229 [0.088 to 0.369]; P = 0.001) were directly associated with skeletal muscle mass. FMD had a borderline inverse association with adiponectin (-0.004 [-0.008 to < 0.0001]; P = 0.056). crPWV was unrelated to adiponectin and skeletal muscle mass, while DC was not associated with adiponectin.
Conclusions
Better endothelial function and arterial elasticity were associated with higher skeletal muscle mass while arterial stiffness was unrelated to adiponectin and lean mass.
Key message
Healthy arterial function and structure may enhance muscle growth in children.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Fat Mass, and Cardiometabolic Health with Endothelial Function, Arterial Elasticity, and Stiffness
