Thoracic Aortic Intima-Media Thickness in Preschool Children Born Small for Gestational Age

To assess thoracic aortic intima-media thickness (aIMT) as a marker of thoracic aortic remodeling in children born small for gestational age (SGA).We assessed thoracic aIMT, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in 239 patients (117 SGA; 122 appropriate for gestational age controls) age 6-8 years. Each SGA participant was matched 1:1 based on sex, gestational age, and birth date. Thoracic aIMT was determined by 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography.SGA children showed a significant increase in both aIMT (0.89 mm [0.12] vs 0.79 mm [0.11], P  .001) and cIMT (.50 mm [0.05] vs 0.49 mm [0.04], P  .001) compared with appropriate for gestational age controls, …