Circulating betatrophin concentration is negatively correlated with insulin resistance in obese children and adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum betatrophin levels and metabolic and anthropometric parameters in obese children.


METHODS
The study included 40 obese children with a body mass index (BMI) above 95th centile, and 35 non-obese subjects with a BMI 3-85th centile, whose age and gender were similar to those of the patient group. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, lipid profile, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, serum betatrophin, and leptin levels were measured to evaluate the metabolic parameters. Total cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios were calculated as "atherogenic indices".


RESULTS
Serum betatrophin levels of the obese subjects were significantly lower than that of non-obese subjects (p<0.05). Insulin resistant subjects had significantly lower betatrophin concentrations than those of non-insulin resistant subjects (p<0.05). Betatrophin levels were negatively correlated with the fasting serum insulin and, accordingly insulin resistance index.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum betatrophin levels are lower in obese and insulin resistant subjects and betatrophin might act as a potential biomarker of insulin resistance in obese children or adolescents.
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. Electronic address: halenvr@hotmail.com.
Hale
H
Tuhan
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Ayhan
A
Abacı
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Ahmet
A
Anık
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Gönül
G
Çatlı
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Tuncay
T
Küme
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Özlem Gürsoy
ÖG
Çalan
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Sezer
S
Acar
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Ece
E
Böber
D000293:Adolescent; D000091306:Angiopoietin-Like Protein 8; D000075802:Angiopoietin-like Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*
C576683:ANGPTL8 protein, human; D000091306:Angiopoietin-Like Protein 8; D000075802:Angiopoietin-like Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids; D036361:Peptide Hormones
Betatrophin; Childhood obesity; Insulin resistance