Feasibility of assessing liver lipid by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in healthy normal and overweight prepubertal children.
BACKGROUND
Intramyocellular and intrahepatic (IHL) lipids are significantly associated with insulin resistance in adults and adolescents and may represent an early marker for developing the metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
During the pilot phase of a larger cross-sectional study, we used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) to determine the feasibility of noninvasively evaluating IHL in 11 male (n = 4) and female (n = 7) prepubertal children using a standard clinical system and to determine whether IHL is correlated with adiposity, fasting insulin and glucose, and liver enzymes.


RESULTS
Body mass index (BMI) (range, 13.4-32.4 kg/m(2)) and IHL stores (range, 0.07-3.2% relative to an oil phantom) were variable. IHL was correlated with body mass (r = 0.66, P = 0.037), BMI (r = 0.73, P = 0.016), percentage body fat (r = 0.73, P = 0.01, n = 10), waist circumference (r = 0.85, P = 0.016), and serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration (r = 0.77, P = 0.03) but was not significantly correlated with other markers of liver damage, including aspartate aminotransferase activity (r = 0.59, P = 0.09, n = 9) and alkaline phosphatase concentrations (r = 0.60, P = 0.087). IHL was also (P < 0.01) correlated with fasting insulin concentration (r = 0.85, P = 0.03, n = 6) and insulin resistance (r = 0.94, P = 0.006, n = 6), but these correlations were driven by the results for one child.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data suggest that (1)H-MRS obtained in a standard pediatric clinical environment may be used to determine IHL in healthy normal and overweight prepubertal youth. This noninvasive technique may prove useful in identifying early markers of the metabolic syndrome in at-risk youth.
University of Wyoming, Laramie, 82071, USA. enette@uwyo.edu
D Enette
DE
Larson-Meyer
Bradley R
BR
Newcomer
Connie L
CL
VanVrancken-Tompkins
Melinda
M
Sothern
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008145:Louisiana; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D050177:Overweight / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011522:Protons
D015415:Biomarkers; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D011522:Protons; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase