Establishing reference values for macro- and microvascular measurements in 4-to-5 year-old children of the ENVIRONAGE prospective birth cohort.

Cardiovascular risk factors are usually better tolerated, and can therefore be perceived as less harmful, at a young age. However, over time the effects of these adverse factors may persist or accumulate and lead to excess morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases later in life. Until now, reference values for the basic cardiovascular health characteristics of 4-to-6 year-old children are lacking. Within a follow-up study of the ENVIRONAGE (ENVIRonmental influence ON early AGE) birth cohort we assessed various cardiovascular measurements in 288 children aged 4-5 years. For the macrovasculature, we measured their blood pressure and examined the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery (CIMT), the arterial elasticity (including the pulse-wave velocity (PWV), carotid distensibility (DC) and compliance (CC) coefficients), the carotid β stiffness index (SIβ) and Young's Elastic Modulus (YEM). Retinal microvascular traits included the Central Retinal Arteriolar Equivalent (CRAE) and Central Retinal Venular Equivalent (CRVE). Age of the study population averaged (±SD) 4.2 (±0.4 years. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 97.9 (±8.1) mmHg and 54.7(±7.6) mmHg, respectively. CIMT for the total population averaged 487.1 (±68.1) µm. The average stiffness values for DC, CC, SIβ, and PWV were 78.7 (±34.2) 10