Cardiovascular risk in adolescents translates into lower carotid intima-media thickness and better distensibility in young adults--The KiGGS2-cohort.

Background: Lifestyle-associated cardiovascular risk may be elevated already during adolescence translating into an increased disease burden in adulthood. The KiGGS cohort characterizes cardiovascular aging from childhood until young adulthood in the German general population. This study analyzes the effects of increased cardiovascular risk during adolescence on carotid properties in young adults. Methods: 1,545 participants of the representative healthy population sample of the national KiGGS-0 cohort (10-17 years of age) had carotid ultrasound-assessment 10 years later at the KiGGS-2 follow-up (20-28 years of age). A cardiovascular risk score (CV-R) was calculated at KiGGS-0 including variables of arterial hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia and smoking. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and distensibility (DC) at KiGGS-2 were associated with CV-R. Results: Unfavorable alterations of all components of CV-R were associated with higher CIMT and/or reduced DC. Relative risks for pathologically elevated CIMT = 90th percentile and/or decreased DC = 10th percentile were elevated in participants with 'intermediate' (RRCIMT = 1.89 [1.23-2.91], p < 0.05; RRDC = 1.27 [0.79-2.06]) or 'high' risk (RRCIMT = 1.83 [0.95-3.52], p < 0.1; RRDC = 1.76 [0.93-3.32], p < 0.1) according to CV-R. Conclusions: If an intermediate or high cardiovascular risk according to CV-R is apparent in adolescence, signs of early vascular aging may occur at a very young age. The promotion of a favorable lifestyle to reduce risk factor burden even in the overall healthy general population at a young age seems to be crucial for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]