title: Importance of plasma N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, epicardial adipose tissue, and carotid intima-media thicknesses in asymptomatic obese children.
abstract: This study aimed to analyze the variations of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, epicardial adipose tissue thickness, and carotid intima-media thickness in childhood obesity. The study participants consisted of 50 obese children in the study group and 20 nonobese children referred for evaluation of murmurs who proved to have an innocent murmur and were used as control subjects. All the subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiographic examination for determination of left ventricular systolic function and mass index, myocardial tissue rates, and myocardial performance index. Epicardial adipose tissue thickness and carotid intima-media thickness also were measured during echocardiography. Serum N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels were measured at the time of evaluation. The left ventricle mass index was 40.21 + or - 10.42 g/m(2) in the obese group and 34.44 + or - 4.51 g/m(2) in the control group (p > 0.05). The serum N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide level was 109.25 + or - 48.53 pg/ml in the study group and 51.96 + or - 22.36 pg/ml and in the control group (p = 0.001). The epicardial adipose tissue thickness was 5.57 + or - 1.45 mm in the study group and 2.98 + or - 0.41 mm in the control group (p = 0.001), and the respective carotid intima-media thicknesses were 0.079 + or - 0.019 cm and 0.049 + or - 0.012 cm (p = 0.001). The left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions showed no statistically significant correlations with N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels, carotid intima-media thickness, or epicardial adipose tissue thickness values. The results show that measurement of serum N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide level, carotid intima-media thickness, and epicardial adipose tissue thickness in asymptomatic obese children is not needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. turkaysaritas@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Turkay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saritas
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tascilar
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abaci
authors.forename: Yilmaz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yozgat
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Ruşen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dundaroz
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasimi
authors.forename: Ediz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yesilkaya
authors.forename: M Koray
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lenk
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kilic
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain