title: Fasting serum blood measures of bone and lipid metabolism in children with myelomeningocele for early detection of cardiovascular and bone fragility risk factors.
abstract: This study examined serum levels in children with myelomeningocele to identify the prevalence of pre-clinical signs of disease.
  
  
  
  A prospective, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  
  Patients were actively recruited from multidisciplinary care clinics at tertiary children's hospitals from 2010-2012. The control comparison group was recruited by word-of-mouth.
  
  
  
  Twenty-eight children with myelomeningocele (93% Hispanic; 17 males; 10.0 ± 2.1 years) and 58 controls (84% Hispanic; 30 males; 10.4 ± 2.4 years) provided ≥ 8-hour fasting blood samples with concomitant dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements of body fat.
  
  
  
  Not applicable.
  
  
  
  The serum analysis included a lipid panel (cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein), insulin, glucose, leptin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, creatinine, calcium, phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, and vitamin D.
  
  
  
  Children with myelomeningocele had higher body fat (35.2% versus 29.9%, p=0.01) and altered lipid profiles (lower high-density lipoprotein levels, 43.9 mg/dL versus 51.6 mg/dL, P = 0.03) suggesting elevated risk of metabolic syndrome. They also had a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (43% versus 17%, p=0.02) and significantly lower levels of calcium (9.4 mg/dL versus 9.7 mg/dL, P = 0.003) and alkaline phosphatase (187.0 U/L versus 237.0 U/L, P = 0.003). Unexpectedly children with myelomeningocele had lower parathyroid hormone levels (14.5 pg/mL versus 18.4 pg/mL, P = 0.02) than controls despite lower calcium, vitamin D and alkaline phosphatase levels. This suggests an alteration in the sensing mechanism or response of the parathyroid gland to normal physiological stimuli in patients with myelomeningocele.
  
  
  
  Children with myelomeningocele have abnormal biochemical markers for cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and bone and mineral metabolism. Early recognition and monitoring of these risk factors in patients with myelomeningocele may help prevent later complications.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Speybroeck
authors.affiliation: b Children's Orthopaedic Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Mueske
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Mittelman
authors.affiliation: c McGill University Health Centre , Montreal , Canada.
authors.forename: Richard K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kremer
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , CA , USA.|b Children's Orthopaedic Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Deirdre D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: b Children's Orthopaedic Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Tishya A L
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Wren
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: metabolic syndrome; myelomeningocele; pediatrics; serum levels; spina bifida