Cardiovascular Risk in Children With Chronic Conditions Study

Recruiting

• Conditions: Kidney Transplant; Familial Hypercholesterolaemia; Chronic Kidney Disease; Kawasaki Disease; Liver Transplant; Obesity and Overweight; Hypertension; Coarctation of Aorta; Bone Marrow Transplant; Cancer (Solid Tumors)

• Registration Number: NCT07086989
• Lead Sponsor: Semmelweis University

Brief Summary

Children living with chronic health conditions face a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases than their peers, largely due to the accelerated aging of the heart and blood vessels. Although experts recognize this elevated risk and recommend close monitoring and early intervention, the underlying mechanisms driving this phenomenon remain poorly understood. At present, no effective interventions specifically target its root causes.

Recent research shows that both large blood vessels (such as the carotid artery) and small vessels (such as those in the retina) can display early signs of damage decades before clinically apparent heart or vascular disease emerges. This accelerated vascular aging can result from multiple factors - including disease-related processes such as persistent inflammation and metabolic disturbances, treatment-related effects such as chemotherapy or long-term steroid use, and lifestyle changes associated with chronic illness, such as reduced physical activity and altered eating habits. However, it is still unclear how these factors influence the development and progression of vascular changes in children as they grow. Importantly, these changes can be monitored through non-invasive methods, offering a unique opportunity to study at-risk patients many years before overt cardiovascular disease develops.

Identifying these early changes may enable us to detect and track individuals at heightened risk well in advance of clinical disease. This study aims to deepen our understanding of the causes of increased cardiovascular risk in children with chronic conditions and to lay the groundwork for earlier, more targeted prevention strategies.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2025-04-01
• Study First Submitted: 2025-07-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-07-17
• Study First Posted: 2025-07-25
• Status Verified: 2025-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-08-04
• Last Update Posted: 2025-08-08
• Primary Completion: 2029-01-31
• Study Completion: 2029-01-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 300

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Arterial stiffness	At baseline and at the time of annual follow-up	Assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity
Endothelial function of the brachial artery	At baseline and at the time of annual follow-up	Evaluated using flow-mediated dilation measured by ultrasound
Retinal vessel diameter	At baseline and at the time of annual follow-up	Assessed by static retinal vessel analysis
Retinal vessel fractal dimension and tortuosity	At baseline and at the time of annual follow-up	Assessed by static retinal vessel analysis

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Endothelial function in capillaries	At baseline and at the time of annual follow-up	Assessed by flow-mediated dilation using laser speckle contrast imaging
Retinal neurovascular coupling	At baseline and at the time of annual follow-up	Assessed by dynamic retinal vessel analysis

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

Semmelweis University, Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health; 🇭🇺 Budapest, Hungary

Semmelweis University, Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Gastroenterology; 🇭🇺 Budapest, Hungary

Semmelweis University, Pediatric Center; 🇭🇺 Budapest, Hungary