Infantile obesity: a situation of atherothrombotic risk?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Background:

• Obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), often co-occurring with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes.
• Recent research indicates that the hemostatic system is also affected by obesity, adding to the list of associated dysfunctions.
• Understanding these hemostatic alterations in obese children is crucial for early CVD risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alterations in coagulation and fibrinolysis within the hemostatic system of obese children.
• To compare hemostatic markers between obese children and a non-obese control group.
• To explore correlations between body mass index (BMI), insulin levels, and specific hemostatic factors in obese children.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 61 obese children (ages 6-9) and 70 non-obese children.
• Measurement of body mass index (BMI), insulin, glucose, fibrinogen, tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and fragment 1 + 2 of prothrombin (F1 + 2).
• Statistical analysis to compare groups and assess correlations between variables.

Main Results:

• Obese children exhibited significantly higher levels of insulin, t-PA, PAI-1, and fibrinogen compared to controls (P < .001 for all).
• No significant differences were observed in glucose or F1 + 2 levels between the groups.
• In obese subjects, insulin, PAI-1, and F1 + 2 positively correlated with BMI, while t-PA correlated with insulin and PAI-1 but not BMI.

Conclusions:

• Obese children demonstrate significant alterations in hemostatic factors, including elevated t-PA and PAI-1.
• These hemostatic changes, along with increased insulin and fibrinogen, contribute to an elevated risk profile for cardiovascular disease in obese children.
• The findings underscore the importance of monitoring hemostatic function in pediatric obesity for CVD prevention.