BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that since asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease, it could lead to the early development of atherosclerosis in childhood-onset asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate arterial stiffness, distensibility, and strain of different peripheral arteries, the parameters of which can be used to detect atherosclerosis in asthmatic children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 22 pediatric patients with asthma and 18 healthy children. Fasting blood glucose and cholesterol levels were evaluated to exclude children with diabetes and hyperlipidemia, which are risk factors for atherosclerosis. Renal, carotid, and brachial arteries diameters were measured. Using the measured data, stiffness, distensibility, and strain of the arteries of all children were calculated.

RESULTS: Pulse pressure, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterols, and glucose levels of the obese individuals were similar to the controls. In carotid arteries there were no statistical differences regarding stiffness, distensibility, and strain. According to multiple ANCOVA analysis, distensibility and strain of right and left brachial arteries and right renal artery were higher, whereas right renal artery stiffness was lower in asthmatic children than in controls. Approximately one-fifth of the change in the left and right brachial arteries and right renal artery distensibility and strain and a small portion of the change in the right renal artery stiffness were associated with asthma. In contrast, left renal artery distensibility, strain, and stiffness were not associated with asthma.

CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral arteries had higher distensibility and strain, and lower stiffness in asthmatic children than in controls.

Keywords: Brachial Artery - radiography, Asthma - physiopathology, Carotid Arteries - radiography, Case-Control Studies, Child, Stress, Mechanical, Vascular Stiffness