Adrenomedullary response to caffeine in prepubertal and pubertal obese subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether blunted adrenomedullary responsiveness to stimuli is a primary feature of human obesity in childhood and adolescence


METHODS
Comparison of plasma catecholamine response to caffeine in obese and lean subjects before and after puberty onset.


METHODS
Twelve lean prepubertal subjects (six males and six females), 15 prepubertal obese subjects (seven males and eight females), 12 pubertal lean subjects (six males and six females) and 24 pubertal obese subjects (12 males and 12 females)


METHODS
Plasma levels of Luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 17beta-estradiol and testosterone were used to validate Tanner score. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and plasma catecholamines before and after caffeine administration (4 mg/kg of ideal body weight).


RESULTS
Caffeine administration significantly stimulated adrenaline release in all subjects studied. The incremental area of adrenaline response to caffeine, analysed by multiple comparison test, was lower in pubertal obese subjects with respect to other groups.


CONCLUSIONS
At variance with what is observed in adulthood obesity, prepubertal obese subjects show an intact adrenomedullary response to caffeine.
Bondi
M
M
Centro di Nutrizione Clinica e Malattie del Metabolismo, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna Università di Modena, Italy.
Grugni
G
G
Velardo
A
A
Biella
O
O
Venneri
M G
MG
Morabito
F
F
Menozzi
R
R
Rio
G D
GD
D000293:Adolescent; D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D011627:Puberty / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002110:Caffeine; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine