Comparison of CIMT and FMD in the Brachial Artery between Children with Acyanotic Congenital Heart Disease and Healthy Controls: A Case-Control Study

Congenital heart disease (CHD), a developmental abnormality of the heart and vessels, is encountered in the pediatric age group frequently. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) are indicators of subclinical cardiovascular disease and are used as surrogate measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. The present study aimed to compare CIMT and FMD between children with acyanotic congenital heart disease (ACHD) and healthy controls.

A case-control study on 50 children with ACHD and 43 healthy individuals was done in Isfahan, Iran, between 2021 and 2022. The case group was selected via non-random sampling, and healthy controls were recruited from the relatives of the patients. A checklist, including age, sex, body mass index, and blood pressure, was filled out for all the participants. Then, FMD and CIMT were measured with brachial and carotid artery ultrasonography.

Fifty children with ACHD and 43 healthy individuals (controls) under 18 years old participated in this study. Of these, 44 (47.3%) were girls and 49 (52.7%) were boys. The mean FMD was significantly higher in the ACHD group than in the control group (0.084±0.027 vs 0.076±0.042; P=0.021; 95% CI, 007 to 0.122;). CIMT was significantly higher in the ACHD group than in the control group (0.39±0.12 vs 0.34±0.1; P=0.037; 95% CI, 0.009 to 0.102;). However, systolic and diastolic blood pressure did not show differences between the groups.

Based on our results, CIMT and FMD assessment may help detect early changes in peripheral vessels associated with atherosclerosis in the future in ACHD. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.