Cardiovascular disease risk factors and the relationships with physical activity, aerobic fitness, and body fat in adolescents and young adults with myelomeningocele.

OBJECTIVES

To describe cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in adolescents and young adults with myelomeningocele (MMC) and to explore relationships with physical activity, aerobic fitness, and body fat.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Outpatient clinic.

PARTICIPANTS

Adolescents and young adults (N=31) with MMC (58% men) age 16 through 30 years; 13 were ambulatory and 18 were nonambulatory.

INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We studied biologic and lifestyle-related CVD risk factors, including lipid and lipoprotein profiles, blood pressure, aerobic fitness (Vo(2)peak), body fat, daily physical activity, and smoking behavior. We considered subjects at increased CVD risk when 2 or more of the following risk factors clustered: systolic blood pressure, total serum cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and cigarette smoking. Relationships were studied using regression analyses.

RESULTS

Levels of TC, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were elevated in 29%, 38%, and 3% of the participants, respectively. HDL-C was reduced in 19%. Hypertension was found in 20%, and 19% were current cigarette smokers. Based on the clustering of risk factors, 42% of the participants were at increased CVD risk: 15% of ambulatory participants and 61% of nonambulatory participants (P=.03). Adjusted for sex and ambulatory status, participants with higher aerobic fitness tended to be more likely to have no CVD risk (odds ratio=13.0; P=.07). CVD risk was not associated to physical activity and body fat.

CONCLUSIONS

A large proportion of the study sample was at CVD risk, indicated by clustering of risk factors. Improving aerobic fitness in young adults with MMC may contribute in reducing CVD risk; this needs to be confirmed in future studies.