Cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and their association with disease severity

Factores de riesgo cardiovascular en niños y adolescentes con trastorno de ansiedad y su asociación con la gravedad de la enfermedad

Gabriela Cheuiche Pires^1,2, Fernanda Camboim Rockett^2,3, Giovanni Abrahão Salum³, Gisele Gus Manfro⁴ and Vera Lúcia Bosa^2,5

¹School of Medicine, Graduation in Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre.
²Food and Nutrition Research Centre, Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre/Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre.
³Post-Graduation Program in Medical Sciences: Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. ]]> ⁴Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre.
⁵Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Studies suggest that anxiety is an independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular events. However, few studies have investigated the association between cardiovascular risk factors (RF) and severity of anxiety disorders (AD) in childhood and adolescents.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence of cardiovascular RF in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and their association with disease severity.
Method: Cross-sectional study assessing nutritional and anthropometric RF, as well as % body fat (BF), blood pressure (BP), physical activity level, anxiety symptoms and severity of the anxiety disorder of children and adolescents.
Results: A total of 65 children and adolescents (8.6) 1.7 years) took part in the study. Excess saturated fatty acid intake (52.3%), high body mass index (50.8%), high BP (50.8%) and physical inactivity (50.0%) were the most prevalent cardiovascular RF. There was a significant association between the severity of the anxiety and the presence of > 6 RF per patient (p=0.026), excess abdominal body fat as assessed by waist circumference (p=0.019) and conicity index (p=0,053), and excess % BF (p=0.035). Generalized anxiety disorder was significantly associated with high BP (p=0.044).
Conclusion: A high prevalence of cardiovascular RF was found in the present sample, and individuals with more severe anxiety had greater cardiovascular risk. The characterization of the cardiovascular risk in young populations, especially in individuals with AD who are therefore more susceptible to CVD, is crucial for the development of lifestyle interventions in these patients. ]]> Keywords: Adolescence. Anxiety. Children. Cardiovascular Disease. Risk Factors.

RESUMEN

Introducción: Evidencias sugieren que la ansiedad es una prediciente independiente de los eventos cardiovasculares adversos. Entretanto, pocos estudios evaluaron la presencia de factores de riesgo (FR) para estas enfermedades en niños y adolescentes.
Objetivos: Identificar la prevalencia de FR cardiovasculares en niños y adolescentes diagnosticados con disturbio de ansiedad y su asociación con la gravedad de la enfermedad.
Metodología: Estudio transversal que evaluó FR nutricional, antropométricos, % de gordura corporal (CG), presión arterial (PA), nivel de actividad física y escalas de síntomas y gravedad de la ansiedad.
Resultados: 65 niños y adolescentes (8.6 �± 1.7 años) fueron incluidos en el estudio. Cuanto a los FR, el consumo excesivo de ácidos grasos saturados (52.3%), índice de masa corporal alto (50.8%), PA alterada (50.8%) y la falta de ejercicio físico (50.0%) fueron los mas prevalecientes. Hubo asociación significativa entre la mayor gravedad del disturbio y el acumulo de > 6FR (p=0,026), exceso de gordura abdominal medida por la circunferencia de cintura (p=0.019) y por el indice de conicidad (p=0.053) y exceso en el % GC (p=0.044).
Conclusión: Los resultados encontrados indican que hay una alta prevalencia de FR cardiovascular en la muestra estudiada y los pacientes mas graves presentaron mayor riesgo. La caracterización del perfil de riesgo en las poblaciones con predisposición a las enfermedades cardiovasculares es crucial para la elaboración de estrategias de intervención que oportunicen la reducción en la prevalencia de estas enfermedades.

Palabras clave: Adolescente. Ansiedad. Niños. Enfermedades cardiovasculares. Factores de riesgo.