title: Circulating activated endothelial cells in pediatric obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We characterized the state of the vascular endothelium in pediatric obesity by comparing circulating endothelial cell (CEC) number and activation phenotype in severely obese children to that of normal weight, overweight, and obese children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used immunohistochemical examination of buffy-coat smears to enumerate CEC and immunofluorescence microscopy to quantify activated CEC in 107 children and adolescents. Normal weight (body mass index [BMI]<85th percentile; n=40), overweight (BMI 85th-<95th percentile; n=17), and obese (BMI 95th-<99th percentile; n=23) participants were recruited from a longitudinal study. Severely obese (BMI>or=99th percentile; n=27) participants were recruited from a pediatric obesity clinic. Group means (adiposity; systolic blood pressure [SBP] quartiles) were compared with general linear models, adjusted for sex, age, and race. With Pearson correlations, we characterized relations of CEC with cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Activated CEC increased across BMI groups (P<.002) and SBP quartiles (P<.05). CEC number and activated CEC were highest in the severely obese group. CEC number was significantly associated with SBP, diastolic blood pressure, and triglycerides level. Activated CEC were significantly associated with SBP and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vascular endothelium was activated in relation to excess adiposity, particularly in severely obese children, and to elevated SBP in children and adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. kelly105@umn.edu
authors.forename: Aaron S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Hebbel
authors.forename: Anna N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Solovey
authors.forename: Sarah Jane
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schwarzenberg
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Metzig
authors.forename: Antoinette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Alan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sinaiko
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinberger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood; D001775:Blood Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010641:Phenotype; D012307:Risk Factors; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1