Household Income and Cardiovascular Disease Risks in U.S. Children and Young Adults

The T wave in the precordial V leads was studied in 187 normal children and young adults in the age range of 2 weeks to 20 years and in 164 individuals of like age with cardiovascular disease or with disease or medication capable of affecting the cardiovascular system. On the basis of this analysis correlated with a survey of the literature, it is concluded that: a. An upright T wave in lead V2 or leads further to the right should be considered abnormal in children between 2 weeks and 9 years of age until proved otherwise. b. The normal sequence in the direction of the T wave from V4R to V6 is from a negative to a positive wave with transitional forms which may be notched or diphasic. The reversal of this pattern is to be considered abnormal. c. The presence of unexpected T wave contours in specific leads at the different ages should be considered as evidence demanding re-examination of the ECG and of the child for abnormalities.

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Abstract 368: Family History of Premature Cardiac Events and Sub Clinical Atherosclerosis in Children and Young Adults: A Systematic Review

Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology ◽

10.1161/atvb.33.suppl_1.a368 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 33 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Pragya Sinha ◽

Jamal S Rana ◽

Ebenezer T Oni ◽

Ehimen C Aneni ◽

Roger S Blumenthal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Young Adults ◽

Family History ◽

Endothelial Dysfunction ◽

Subclinical Atherosclerosis ◽

Vascular Inflammation ◽

Positive Family History ◽

Cardiac Risk Factor ◽

Children And Young Adults ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The association between a positive family history (PFH) of premature cardiovascular disease (PCVD) and atherosclerosis has been explored in numerous studies. In adults, various studies have confirmed a significant positive correlation between a PFH and PCVD. Scant literature however, focuses on young individuals. Nevertheless, it is important to understand the impact that a PFH has in young people because the foundations of atherosclerosis and adverse cardiac behaviors develop in youth. In this paper, we aimed to systematically review the evidence linking a PFH of PCVD to indirect markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. METHODS The search was conducted on Medline, Web of Science and Embase. ‘Family history’, ‘children/young adults’ and ‘subclinical atherosclerosis’ were the three main concepts used. Increase in mean carotid IMT (cIMT), endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation were used as indirect measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. RESULTS 1191 articles were identified in the initial search. 24 papers with 5400 participants were included in the final review. There were five cohort studies and nineteen case control studies from twelve countries. Mean cIMT was found to be significantly increased in those with a PFH by eleven of the fourteen papers reviewed. Endothelial dysfunction, measured by flow mediated dilatation (FMD), was found to be significantly increased in five of the seven included studies. The evidence on vascular inflammation was somewhat inconsistent with only ten of the nineteen studies demonstrating significance. The results tend to suggest that an elevated mean cIMT, as well as a greater degree of endothelial dysfunction are seen in children and young adults with a PFH of PCVD. Moreover, these differences exist in asymptomatic children as young as 8-9 years (4 studies) in the absence of any other cardiac risk factor. DISCUSSION Individuals with a PFH of PCVD have evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis in their youth demonstrating an accelerated tendency to acquire cardiovascular disease. Some of this risk may be attributable to behavioral risk clustering in families. However, a significant proportion of this elevated risk is related solely to a positive family history and needs attention.

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