title: A useful predictor of early atherosclerosis in obese children: serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.
abstract: Childhood obesity seems to contribute to the development of vascular inflammation and the progression of arterial wall changes. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has recently emerged as a useful biomarker for vascular inflammation associated with atherosclerosis. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association of the serum hs-CRP level with ultrasonic findings of early atherosclerosis, carotid intima-media wall thickness (IMT) and brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), in obese children. Thirty eight obese children and 45 sex/age-matched healthy control children were recruited. Serum CRP levels were measured by the high-sensitive latex turbidimetric immunoassay, and we measured carotid IMT and brachial FMD using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. Obese children had significantly higher hs-CRP levels (1.40+/-0.74 mg/L vs. 0.55+/-0.49 mg/L, p<0.01), as well as increased IMT (0.52+/-0.09 mm vs. 0.41+/-0.07 mm, p<0.01) and impaired FMD (7.35+/-7.78% vs. 20.34+/-16.81%, p<0.01) compared to healthy controls. Serum hs-CRP correlated positively with IMT (r=0.413, p<0.05) and inversely with FMD (r=-0.350, p<0.05) in the obesity group. Measurement of the serum hs-CRP level is a simple, cheap, and highly reproducible assay and correlates with IMT and FMD in obese children. Thus, it would be a useful marker for evaluating and estimating the degree of atherosclerosis in children.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors: Eui Jung
authors: EJ
authors: Roh
authors: Jae Woo
authors: JW
authors: Lim
authors: Kyoung Og
authors: KO
authors: Ko
authors: Eun Jung
authors: EJ
authors: Cheon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein