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Subepicardial adipose tissue thickness and its relation with anthropometric and clinical parameters in pubertal obese children

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Abstract

Aim: To determine the relation of echocardiographic subepicardial adipose tissue (SAT) thickness with anthropometric and clinical parameters in pubertal obese children. Subjects and methods: A total of 52 obese pubertal subjects (13.1±1.56 yr, 27 male patients) and 39 age- and gender-matched lean pubertal subjects (13.0±1.28 yr, 16 male patients) were included in the study. Serum glucose, lipid profile, and insulin levels were measured during the fasting state. Each subject underwent a transthoracic echocardiography and the SAT thickness was measured during end-diastole from the parasternal long-axis views. Results: The obese pubertal subjects had significantly higher SAT, triceps skin fold (TSF) thickness (mm), waist (WC) and mid-arm circumference (MAC) values (cm) compared with lean pubertal subjects group (p<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that SAT thickness was significantly related with age, SD score-body mass index (SDS-BMI), BMI, WC, MAC, TSF, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p<0.05), whereas there was no significant relation of SAT with hip circumference and waist to hip ratio (p>0.05). As an optimal cut-off point, a SAT thickness of 5.25 mm determined IR with 92% sensitivity and 62.1% specificity. Conclusions: Our study showed that SAT thickness in obese pubertal children shows a good correlation with age, SDS-BMI, BMI, WC, MAC, TSF, and HOMA-IR. In addition, our results suggest that SAT thickness might be used as a supportive data for risk stratification of metabolic syndrome in obese children.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    A. Abaci MD

  2. Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    O. Ozdemir

  3. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    S. Hizli

  4. Division of Pediatrics, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    C. Hasan Razi & N. Kabakus

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  1. A. Abaci MD
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  2. O. Ozdemir
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  5. N. Kabakus
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Correspondence to A. Abaci MD.

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Abaci, A., Ozdemir, O., Hizli, S. et al. Subepicardial adipose tissue thickness and its relation with anthropometric and clinical parameters in pubertal obese children. J Endocrinol Invest 33, 715–719 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03346676

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