title: Acanthosis nigricans predicts the clustering of metabolic syndrome components in Hispanic elementary school-aged children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a dermatologic condition associated with hyperinsulinemia, a marker of insulin resistance that is the principal abnormality in metabolic syndrome (MetS). We examined the association of AN with the clustering of MetS components.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban school-based health center in New Mexico. Students without diabetes were evaluated for AN, a family history of type 2 diabetes, body mass index (BMI), and MetS components. The clustering of MetS components by BMI category and AN status was assessed by comparing the group means of summed average z-scores of fasting insulin, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure among the students. A multivariate model with BMI category and AN status controlling for Tanner stage was performed to identify the variables associated with the clustering of MetS components.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete data were available for 90 children (age, 9.7±1.4 years; 94% Hispanic; 60% female). In multivariate modeling of MetS cluster z-score, significant differences were found between the students with BMI <85th percentile [-0.27; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=-0.42 to -0.11] and (a) the students with BMI 85th-94.9th percentile with AN (0.74; 95% CI=0.17-1.31) and (b) the students with BMI ≥95th percentile with AN (0.86; 95% CI=0.54-1.18). No significant differences in the MetS cluster z-score were seen between the students with BMI <85th percentile and those with BMI 85th-94.9th percentile without AN (0.24; 95% CI=-0.33 to 0.81) or those with BMI ≥95th percentile without AN (0.31; 95% CI=-0.13 to 0.75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overweight/obese Hispanic elementary school-aged children with AN exhibit clustering of MetS components and could benefit from early intervention.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, MSC 10 5590, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA. akong@salud.unm.edu
authors: Alberta S
authors: AS
authors: Kong
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Vanderbloemen
authors: Betty
authors: B
authors: Skipper
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Leggott
authors: Emilie
authors: E
authors: Sebesta
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Glew
authors: Mark R
authors: MR
authors: Burge
mesh_terms: D000052:Acanthosis Nigricans / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009516:New Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence