Objective: According data of clinical studies the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and measured common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (IMT) is a marker of preclinical atherosclerosis in adolescence. The aim of our prospective cross-sectional study was to evaluate arterial wall parameters – IMT, distensibility and stiffness of CCA and cardiovascular risk factors (systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI) and smoking) – in hypertensive adolescents (HA) and normotensive adolescents (NA).

Methods: Arterial wall structural and functional parameters were measured using echo-tracking method (Art. Lab system). BP was measured using BP monitor (Schiller ARGUS VCM). Twenty nine HA (17–18 yr. old, systolic BP ≥140 mmHg, diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg) and fifty five NA were included. Height, weight, BMI, and smoking distribution were obtained from each group. All analysis was performed using the Statistical Analysis System, SAS (version 8.1).

Results: Hypertensive adolescents had significantly greater values of IMT (494 ± 84.69 μm vs. 465 ± 65.2 μm), distensibility (767 ± 121.94 μm vs. 692 ± 149.01) and carotid stiffness (2.28 ± 0,8 vs.1.86 ± 0.76) (p<0.05) compared with normotensive adolescents. They also had significantly higher weight, height, BMI and systolic blood pressure) (p<0.05). No significant differences were found between smokers and non-smokers.

Conclusions: Disturbance of arterial wall parameters can be found in adolescents. Hypertensive adolescents had significantly greater values of IMT, distensibility and stiffness of common carotid artery than normotensive adolescents. Short period of smoking had no significant impact on CCA parameters.