[Metabolic syndrome in childhood and adolescence]

Metabolic syndrome has an outstanding impact on public health due to its increasing prevalence and poor prognosis. The development of insulin resistance, as a consequence of obesity, can be demonstrated even in childhood which has a pivotal role in the pathomechanism of the syndrome. Besides obesity, low birth weight, increased gain in body mass in early childhood, decreased pubertal insulin sensitivity and clinical markers of insulin resistance (acanthosis nigricans, polycystic ovarian syndrome, premature adrenarche) confer risk of metabolic syndrome. Currently, there are no consistent and consensus based diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents. The most recent definition of the International Diabetes Federation [central obesity plus any two of four factors (raised triglyceride, reduced high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, raised blood pressure and raised fasting plasma glucose)] is not approved for children and epidemiology data are not yet available. Applying the modified version of the most commonly used Adult Treatment Panel III diagnostic system for children and adolescents, the prevalence is given as 4.2% in the literature. As the components of the syndrome, frequency were as follows: 9.8-17.9% for abdominal obesity, 21.0-23.4% for elevated triglyceride, 18.3-23.3% for reduced high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, 4.9-7.1% for elevated blood pressure and 0.8-1.7% for impaired fasting glucose. High frequency of morphological and functional disturbances of the vascular and endothelial systems seen frequently among children with signs of metabolic syndrome suggests early cardiovascular events and underlines the clinical significance of this entity. The most effective tool for prevention of metabolic syndrome is to avoid the development of childhood obesity. In case of established disease, the effective treatment should address the different components of the syndrome. The authors emphasize the need of elaboration of consensus based pediatric diagnostic criteria, national prevalence data, protocols for prevention, early recognition and effective treatment.