Homocysteine, fibrinogen and anti-ox-LDL antibody levels as markers of atherosclerosis in prepubertal obese children.
BACKGROUND
Homocysteine, fibrinogen and antibodies to oxidised LDL were shown to be important markers of atherosclerosis in adults.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the levels of these three risk factors in prepubertal obese children.


METHODS
Fasting homocysteine, fibrinogen and antibodies to oxidised LDL, plasma lipids, insulin, HbA1c and blood glucose levels were investigated in 30 prepubertal obese and 28 control children 6-9 years old. Investigations in the obese group were repeated after an oral glucose tolerance test.


RESULTS
Fasting fibrinogen levels of the obese children were found to be significantly higher than those in the controls. Anti-ox-LDL antibody levels increased significantly after an oral glucose tolerance test.


CONCLUSIONS
Fasting fibrinogen and postload ox-LDL levels which could act as important markers of coronary heart disease in later life could also be important risk factors in prepubertal obese children.
Ezgü
Fatih
F
Department of Pediatrics, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. fezgu@gazi.edu.tr
Tümer
Leyla
L
Ozbay
Ferda
F
Hasanoglu
Alev
A
Biberoğlu
Gürsel
G
Aybay
Cemalettin
C
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D005340:Fibrinogen; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006710:Homocysteine; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein