title: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells in obese children and adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the relationship between circulating endothelial progenitor cell count and endothelial activation in a pediatric population with obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational and transversal study, including 120 children and adolescents with primary obesity of both sexes, aged 6-17 years, who were recruited at this Cardiovascular Risk Clinic. The control group was made up of 41 children and adolescents with normal body mass index. The variables analyzed were: age, gender, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, lipid profile, leptin, adiponectin, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, E-selectin, asymmetric dimethylarginine and circulating progenitor endothelial cell count.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Insulin resistance was correlated to asymmetric dimethylarginine (ρ=0.340; p=0.003), which was directly, but weakly correlated to E-selectin (ρ=0.252; p=0.046). High sensitivity C-reactive protein was not found to be correlated to markers of endothelial activation. Systolic blood pressure was directly correlated to body mass index (ρ=0.471; p<0.001) and the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (ρ=0.230; p=0.012), and inversely correlated to adiponectin (ρ=-0.331; p<0.001) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (ρ=-0.319; p<0.001). Circulating endothelial progenitor cell count was directly, but weakly correlated, to body mass index (r=0.211; p=0.016), leptin (ρ=0.245; p=0.006), triglyceride levels (r=0.241; p=0.031), and E-selectin (ρ=0.297; p=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Circulating endothelial progenitor cell count is elevated in obese children and adolescents with evidence of endothelial activation, suggesting that, during infancy, endothelial repairing mechanisms are present in the context of endothelial activation.
authors: Service of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC), Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: pires1961@gmail.com.
authors: António
authors: A
authors: Pires
authors: Service of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC), Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Paula
authors: P
authors: Martins
authors: Instituto Português do Sangue e Transplantação, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Artur
authors: A
authors: Paiva
authors: Laboratório de Fisiologia, Instituto de Imagem Biomédica e Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Ana Margarida
authors: AM
authors: Pereira
authors: Laboratório de Estatística, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, Instituto de Imagem Biomédica e Ciências da Vida, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Margarida
authors: M
authors: Marques
authors: Service of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC), Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Castela
authors: Laboratório de Fisiologia, Instituto de Imagem Biomédica e Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Sena
authors: Laboratório de Fisiologia, Instituto de Imagem Biomédica e Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Raquel
authors: R
authors: Seiça
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D066026:Endothelial Progenitor Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Asymmetric dimethylarginine; C-reactive protein; Células progenitoras endoteliais; Dimetilarginina assimétrica; E-selectin; E-seleticna; Endothelial progenitor cells; Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; Obesidade infantil; Pediatric obesity; Proteína C reativa; Proteína quimiotática de monócitos-1