title: Oxidative stress in obese children and its relation with insulin resistance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In obese populations, oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of serious diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, and atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated the status of oxidative stress in obese children as to nitrite/nitrate and glutathione peroxidase levels, and their relation with insulin resistance (IR).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 63 obese children were enrolled in the study. Each was relegated to one of three groups: 20 obese children without IR (11 adolescents, 9 prepubertal; mean age 10.27 +/- 2.36 years; 10 males, 10 females), 22 obese children with IR (13 adolescents, 9 prepubertal; mean age 11.26 +/- 2.52 years; 10 males, 12 females), and a control group of 21 children (14 adolescents, 7 prepubertal; mean age 11.41 +/- 2.00 years; 10 males, 11 females).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glutathione peroxidase levels were lower in the obese group with IR than in either the control group or the obese group without IR (0.032 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.048 +/- 0.01 and 0.042 +/- 0.01, respectively). Nitrite/nitrate levels were higher in the obese group with IR than in the control group or the obese group without IR (89.83 +/- 25.00 vs. 66.00 +/- 21.75, and 68.65 +/- 28.98, respectively) and compared by pubertal status, adolescents' results were similar. However, in prepubertal children, nitrite/nitrate and glutathione peroxidase levels were not significantly different between groups. Multiple regression analysis revealed that nitrite/nitrate levels were positively correlated with the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) independent of body mass index, age, gender, serum lipids, and pubertal stages, and that glutathione peroxidase levels were negatively correlated with body mass index and HOMA-IR independent of age, gender, pubertal status, and serum lipids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that oxidative stress exists even in populations of obese children, and that oxidative stress markers have a relation with the HOMA-IR, which was used as a surrogate marker of IR.
authors: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Bezm-i Alem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey. drtolgaozgen@yahoo.com
authors: Ilker Tolga
authors: IT
authors: Ozgen
authors: Mehmet Emre
authors: ME
authors: Tascilar
authors: Pelin
authors: P
authors: Bilir
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Boyraz
authors: Mustafa Nuri
authors: MN
authors: Guncikan
authors: Cemal
authors: C
authors: Akay
authors: Rusen
authors: R
authors: Dundaroz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase