Plasma Amino-Terminal Propeptide of C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Concentration in Normal-Weight and Obese Children
Seda Topçu1, Bayram Özhan2, Afra Alkan3, Mesut Akyol3, Filiz Şimşek Orhon1, Sevgi Başkan1, Betül Ulukol1, Merih Berberoğlu4, Zeynep Şıklar4, N. Lale Şatıroğlu Tufan5, A. Çevik Tufan61Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Social Pediatrics, Ankara, Turkey2Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Denizli, Turkey
3Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, Ankara, Turkey
4Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Ankara, Turkey
5Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey & Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Genetics, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey
6Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Ankara, Turkey
Objective: In studies on the relationship between amino-terminal propeptide of C-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proCNP) concentration and height velocity in children, CNP has been implicated as an emerging new growth marker during childhood. It has been reported that besides its well-studied role in growth, plasma CNP levels are reduced in overweight and/or obese adolescents, suggesting CNP as a potential biomarker in childhood obesity. The primary goal of this study was to test this hypothesis in a Turkish population.
Methods: Consent was taken from 317 children [ages 0-18 (158 girls, 159 boys)] and their parents. All subjects were physically examined; anthropometric measurements were obtained. Body mass index was calculated. During routine blood work, 1 mL extra blood was taken. Plasma NT-proCNP concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Results confirmed the previously described relationship between plasma NT-proCNP concentration and growth velocity. Plasma NT-proCNP concentration showed a negative correlation with age, weight, and height in children. Gender was not a factor that alters the age-dependent plasma NT-proCNP concentration until puberty.
Conclusion: Unlike previous reports, plasma NT-proCNP concentration of overweight/obese children was not significantly lower than that of children with normal weight in age groups analyzed in a Turkish population. Thus, it is too early to conclude that CNP is a potential biomarker in childhood obesity. Further studies are necessary to address this question.
Manuscript Language: English
