The Effect of Insulin Resistance and Obesity on Low-Density Lipoprotein Particle Size in Children
Mehmet Emre Taşcılar1, Tolga Özgen2, Murat Cihan3, Ayhan Abacı4, Ediz Yeşilkaya1, İbrahim Eker1, Muhiddin Serdar31Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Department Of Pediatrics, Division Of Pediatric Endocrinology, Ankara, Turkey2Bakırköy Maternity And Children Diseases Training And Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey
3Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Department Of Biochemistry, Ankara, Turkey
4Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, İzmir, Turkey
Objective: In adults, it was shown that obesity and insulin resistance affect low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size and small dense (sd) LDL is associated with cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of obesity and insulin resistance on LDL particle size.
Methods: Twenty-six obese children (13 girls, 13 boys) with a median age of 10.5 years and 27 healthy control subjects (17 girls, 10 boys) with a median age of 11.5 were enrolled in the study.
Results: The number of patients with insulin resistance in the obese group was 15 out of 26. In the control group, there was no subject with insulin resistance. Serum triglyceride and very LDL (VLDL) levels were higher and serum high-density lipoprotein levels (HDL) were lower in the obese patients than in the controls. There was no statistical difference in the LDL particle size between the two groups (medians: 26.6 vs. 26.7 nm (p=0.575)). The size of LDL particle was not correlated with body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), or serum lipids.
Conclusion: Measurement of LDL particle size as a routine procedure is not necessary in childhood obesity.
Manuscript Language: English
