title: Definable somatic disorders in overweight children and adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the frequencies and clinical presentation of definable somatic disorders in children who are overweight.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed prospectively 1405 children aged 4 to 16 years who were overweight and came to our specialized clinic for endocrinology and obesity with a standardized diagnostic procedure. In a subgroup of 223 children, we sought mutations in the melanocortin-4-receptor gene (MC4R).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endocrine or syndromal disorders were diagnosed in 13 children (<1%; 4 with hypothyroidism, 1 with Cushing's syndrome, 1 with growth hormone deficiency, 2 with pseudohypoparathyroidism, 1 with pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism, 2 with Prader-Willi syndrome, 1 with Bardet-Biedl syndrome, 1 with Klinefelter syndrome). A total of 85% of these children had short stature, in marked contrast to only 0.6% of the other children. Moderately elevated thyrotropin and cortisol concentrations were observed in 4% and 5%, respectively, of all children. Non-synonymous MC4R mutations were found in 6% of the children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to MC4R mutations, endocrine and clinically identifiable syndromal disorders were rare in children who were overweight and always associated with further symptoms. All children who are overweight with short stature or reduced growth velocity should be carefully examined for endocrine or syndromal disorders. A general screening with laboratory measurements cannot be recommended because thyrotropin and cortisol levels are frequently moderately elevated in children who are overweight, thus entailing further superfluous diagnostic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Vestische Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Witten/Herdecke, Datteln, Germany. T.Reinehr@kinderklinik-datteln.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reinehr
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hinney
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Austrup
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hebebrand
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Andler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D050177:Overweight; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / Q000235:genetics; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4; D013972:Thyrotropin; D006854:Hydrocortisone