Association between human adenovirus-36 and lipid disorders in Korean schoolchildren.
BACKGROUND
Although the human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36) has been associated with obesity and related lipid disorders in the United States, this association has yet to be identified in other countries. Therefore, we tried to determine whether Ad-36 is associated with obesity or lipid disorders in Korean schoolchildren.


METHODS
A total of 318 Korean schoolchildren aged 6-15 years, who participated in the Ewha Womans University Obesity Research Study, were selected for a community-based cohort study. Non-obese and obese were defined as body mass index (BMI) <85th and > or = 95th percentiles of the Korean reference BMI-for-age curves, respectively, according to International Obesity Task Force definitions. The cutoff points for lipid disorders were modified from the age-modified standards of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)-Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III metabolic syndrome criteria. The Ad-36 antibody was measured using a serum neutralization assay.


RESULTS
More obese participants than non-obese participants tested positive for the Ad-36 antibody (28.57 vs 13.56%, respectively; P = 0.0174). Within the obese group, the participants who tested positive for the Ad-36 antibody had higher levels of triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol than those who tested negative for the Ad-36 antibody (P<0.001). However, these associations were not present in the non-obese group. The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for Ad-36 antibody positivity was greater in obese participants than non-obese participants (OR = 2.550, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.154-5.633). However, this OR seemed to be nonsignificant when age, sex and lipid variables were included in the analysis (OR = 1.752, 95% CI: 0.763-4.020). The unadjusted OR for the elevated TG was significantly higher in participants who were Ad-36 antibody-positive than those who were Ad-36 antibody-negative (OR = 2.511, 95% CI: 1.448-4.353). This trend remained constant even after adjustment for age, sex and obesity (OR = 2.328, 95% CI: 1.296-4.181).


CONCLUSIONS
Ad-36 seems to be strongly associated with lipid disorders in Korean schoolchildren regardless of obesity.
Na
H-N
HN
Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Korea.
Hong
Y-M
YM
Kim
J
J
Kim
H-K
HK
Jo
I
I
Nam
J-H
JH
D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000276:immunology; D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D052439:Lipid Metabolism Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008055:Lipids