Bojko Bjelakovic1, Claudia Stefanutti2, Dejan Bonic3, Vladimir Vukovic4, Nebojsa Kavaric5, Ljiljana Saranac6, Gordana Kocic7, Aleksandra Klisic5, Tatjana Jevtović Stojmenov7, Stevo Lukic8, Marko Jovic7, Milica Bjelakovic7. 1. Clinic of Pediatrics, Clinical Center, Nis, Serbia; Medical Faculty, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia. Electronic address: bojko968@gmail.com. 2. Extracorporeal Therapeutic Techniques Unit, Lipid Clinic and Atherosclerosis Prevention Centre, Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, ''Sapienza'' University of Rome, ''Umberto I'' Hospital, Rome, Italy. 3. Faculty of Technology, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia. 4. Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research, Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck, Bolzano, Italy. 5. Primary Health Care Center, Podgorica, Montenegro. 6. Clinic of Pediatrics, Clinical Center, Nis, Serbia; Medical Faculty, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia. 7. Medical Faculty, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia. 8. Medical Faculty, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; Clinic of Neurology-Clinical Center, Nis, Serbia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Relative importance of traditional and non-traditional components of metabolic syndrome (MetSy) as risk factors for subclinical target organ damage in obese children is still under investigation. Recent studies highlight the role of serum uric acid (SUA) as an emerging non-traditional independent risk factor which correlates with obesity, MetSy, type 2 diabetes, preclinical cardiac and extracardiac organ damage, as well as cardiovascular events. AIMS: To study the relationship between SUA and left ventricular geometry pattern in obese children with or without MetSy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 73 obese children, 64.4% male, and 35.6% female, with median age of 15 years (IQR = 12-16) were examined. Body mass index, glycaemia, standard lipid profile, fasting insulin level, HOMA index, serum uric acid level, 24-h average systolic blood pressure, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT) were evaluated in all children. RESULTS: LVMI in our study group was 46 g/m2.7 (IQR = 42-55) while the RWT was 37% (IQR = 31-41). Median SUA level was 341 μmol/L (IQR = 283-387). In the entire sample of children, SUA was independently associated with the RWT (coeff = 0.02, p < 0.01). In a sub-group of metabolically unhealthy children, we found no statistically significant association between SUA and LVMI nor between SUA and RWT (coeff. = 0.002, p = 0.92; coeff. = 0.01, p = 0.20, respectively). CONCLUSION: Serum uric acid is an important independent non-traditional risk factor for the development of concentric left ventricular geometry in obese children. These findings deserve further investigation to determine whether high SUA in obese children may be a therapeutic target.
BACKGROUND: Relative importance of traditional and non-traditional components of metabolic syndrome (MetSy) as risk factors for subclinical target organ damage in obesechildren is still under investigation. Recent studies highlight the role of serum uric acid (SUA) as an emerging non-traditional independent risk factor which correlates with obesity, MetSy, type 2 diabetes, preclinical cardiac and extracardiac organ damage, as well as cardiovascular events. AIMS: To study the relationship between SUA and left ventricular geometry pattern in obesechildren with or without MetSy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 73 obesechildren, 64.4% male, and 35.6% female, with median age of 15 years (IQR = 12-16) were examined. Body mass index, glycaemia, standard lipid profile, fasting insulin level, HOMA index, serum uric acid level, 24-h average systolic blood pressure, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT) were evaluated in all children. RESULTS: LVMI in our study group was 46 g/m2.7 (IQR = 42-55) while the RWT was 37% (IQR = 31-41). Median SUA level was 341 μmol/L (IQR = 283-387). In the entire sample of children, SUA was independently associated with the RWT (coeff = 0.02, p < 0.01). In a sub-group of metabolically unhealthy children, we found no statistically significant association between SUA and LVMI nor between SUA and RWT (coeff. = 0.002, p = 0.92; coeff. = 0.01, p = 0.20, respectively). CONCLUSION: Serum uric acid is an important independent non-traditional risk factor for the development of concentric left ventricular geometry in obesechildren. These findings deserve further investigation to determine whether high SUA in obesechildren may be a therapeutic target.