title: Carotid intima media thickness in obese children: is there an association with hyperlipidemia?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to evaluate the association between hyperlipidemia and carotid intima media thickness in obese children, compared to non-obese ones.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred (110 girls, 90 boys) children aged between 6 and 15 years participated in this study. The obese group included 53 girls, 47 boys whose body mass indices (BMI) above 95th percentile, the control group included 57 girls, 43 boys who had normal weight. Fasting total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured. Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) was performed with neck ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median thickness of right, left and mean carotis intima media were statistically higher in the study group, compared to the control group. The mean cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-C, LDL-C levels of the study group were statistically higher, compared to the control group. There was no relationship between BMI and left carotis intima media thickness, but there was statistically significant relationship between BMI and right, mean cIMTs in the study group. There was no correlation between serum lipid levels and cIMTs in the study group. The mean atherogenic index of the study group was statistically higher, compared to the control group. There was no statistical correlation between atherogenic index and cIMTs in both of the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed that obese children had higher carotis intima media thicknesses. Carotis intima media thickness related to obesity can play an important role in future pre-atherosclerotic changes. Large population based studies are required to confirm this associaton.
authors.forename: Zehra Esra
authors.initials: ZE
authors.lastname: Önal
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soydan
authors.forename: Hatice Eren
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Öztürk
authors.forename: Çiğdem
authors.initials: Ç
authors.lastname: Sağ
authors.forename: Tamay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gürbüz
authors.forename: Çağatay
authors.initials: Ç
authors.lastname: Nuhoğlu
authors.forename: Mehmet Masum
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Şimşek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000473:pathology*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*