title: Decreased plasma apelin levels in pubertal obese children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apelin is a recently defined peptide relevant to the mechanism of obesity-related disorders. There has been no report so far about the levels of plasma apelin in obese children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study plasma apelin, adiponectin, and high sensitivity C reactive protein levels were investigated in obese (n=32) and nonobese (n=40) children. The effects of pubertal status on the apelin and adiponectin levels were evaluated as well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared to nonobese controls, the obese children had significantly lower plasma apelin (p = 0.004), adiponectin and HDL cholesterol levels (p = 0.001 for both), and higher hs-CRP, triglycerides, insulin and Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA-IR) indexes (p < 0.001 for all). The difference between the apelin levels was present only in the pubertal period (p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study indicate that plasma apelin levels are lower in child obesity and pubertal state is an important determinant of plasma apelin levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. serkantapan7@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tapan
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tascilar
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abaci
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sonmez
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: M Kemal
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Erbil
authors.forename: Okan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozcan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000073861:Apelin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C115436:APLN protein, human; D000073861:Apelin; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein