title: High-sensitive C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and cardiovascular risk factors before and after weight loss in obese children.
abstract: To confirm the existence of obesity-induced inflammation and to clarify the association between such inflammation and other cardiovascular risk factors, we investigated the relationships between high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), obesity, blood pressure, lipids, and insulin resistance in a long-term follow-up of obese children. We compared the serum concentrations of hsCRP, TNF-alpha, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides as well as blood pressure and the insulin resistance index (homeostasis model assessment [HOMA]) of 14 nonobese and 31 obese children. Furthermore, we studied the changes in these parameters in 16 obese children who lost weight and in 15 obese children without weight change over a 1-year period. In the obese children, blood pressure (P=.003), HOMA (P=.034), and triglyceride (P=.011), TNF-alpha (P=.015), and hsCRP (P<.001) levels were significantly higher, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were significantly (P=.015) lower compared with the nonobese children. Weight loss was associated with a significant decrease in hsCRP (P=.008) and triglyceride (P=.048) levels, HOMA (P<.001), and blood pressure (P=.019), whereas there were no significant changes in the children with stable weight status. The changes in hsCRP and TNF-alpha levels over the 1-year period were not significantly correlated to the changes in lipids, blood pressure, and HOMA. Obese children demonstrated significantly higher levels of hsCRP and TNF-alpha compared with nonobese children. The chronic inflammation markers TNF-alpha and hsCRP were independent of lipids, blood pressure, and insulin resistance index. Weight loss was associated with the significant decrease of hsCRP and triglyceride levels, and blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Vestische Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Witten/Herdecke, D-45711 Datteln, Germany. t.reinehr@kinderklinik-datteln.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reinehr
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stoffel-Wagner
authors.forename: Christian L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Andler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008055:Lipids; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein