title: Sleep-disordered breathing and C-reactive protein in obese children and adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is common among overweight and obese children. It is a risk factor for several health complications, including cardiovascular disease. Inflammatory processes leading to endothelial dysfunction are a possible mechanism linking SDB and cardiovascular disease. Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is independently correlated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in adults. Our goal is to evaluate the relationship between CRP and OSAS in overweight and obese children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty children were prospectively studied (85 without OSAS, 20 mild OSAS, 15 moderate-to-severe OSAS). All subjects underwent polysomnography, and a blood sample was taken to determine CRP levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were found in CRP between subjects with or without OSAS, and no correlations were found between CRP and OSAS severity, despite the relationship between CRP and BMI (r = 0.21, p = 0.015) and between CRP and fat mass (r = 0.31, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that CRP levels are correlated with the level of obesity but are not influenced by SDB in obese children and adolescents; hence, this in contrast to that in adult population.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium, annelies.vaneyck@ua.ac.be.
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Eyck
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Hoorenbeeck
authors.forename: Benedicte Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: De Winter
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramet
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Gaal
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: Stijn L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Verhulst
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001530:Belgium; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood*; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood*; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein