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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Gender-related differences in cardiometabolic risk factors and oxidative stress among prepubertal children with
Nelson Godinho1, Manuela Morato2,3, António Albino-Teixeira4,5
1Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Insights
Gender impacts children's oxidative stress and heart health. Girls show higher metabolic risks, while boys may have protective factors against arterial issues and high cholesterol.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Oxidative Stress Research
Background:
- Cardiometabolic risk factors and oxidative stress markers are crucial for assessing cardiovascular health in children.
- Understanding gender-specific differences in these markers during prepuberty is essential for early intervention.
- The Generation XXI birth-cohort provides a valuable population for studying long-term health trends in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender-related differences in oxidative stress, nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, and cardiometabolic risk factors in prepubertal children.
- To identify potential gender-specific associations between redox markers, NO bioavailability, and cardiometabolic health indicators.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study of 313 prepubertal children (8-9 years old).
- Assessed anthropometric measurements, cardiometabolic variables, and redox markers including isoprostanes (Isop), total antioxidant status (TAS), myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitrates/nitrites (NOX), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
Main Results:
- Girls exhibited higher total/non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) than boys.
- Boys showed higher urinary hydrogen peroxide (U-H2O2) and urinary nitrates/nitrites (U-NOX) levels, particularly in overweight/obese individuals.
- Multivariate analysis revealed inverse associations between U-H2O2 and pulse wave velocity in boys, and between U-NOX and lipid profiles in boys, while girls showed a positive association between urinary isoprostanes (U-Isop) and HOMA-IR.
Conclusions:
- Gender significantly influences oxidative stress, NO bioavailability, and cardiometabolic risk factors in prepubertal children.
- Prepubertal girls may be more vulnerable to metabolic dysfunction linked to oxidative stress.
- Elevated redox and NO markers in boys seem to offer protection against arterial stiffness and lipid imbalances.
Objectives:
Gender-related differences in oxidative stress, nitric oxide bioavailability, and cardiometabolic risk factors were examined in a cross-sectional study involving 313 prepubertal children (8-9 years old) from the generation XXI birth-cohort.
Methods:
Anthropometric measurements, cardiometabolic variables, and redox markers were assessed, including plasma and urinary isoprostanes (P-Isop, U-Isop), plasma total antioxidant status (P-TAS), serum myeloperoxidase (MPO), plasma and urinary nitrates and nitrites (P-NOX, U-NOX), and urinary hydrogen peroxide (U-H2O2).
Results:
Girls showed higher levels of total/non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) compared to boys. Notably, U-H2O2 values were lower in girls. When stratifying by body mass index (BMI) and gender, both girls and boys exhibited higher MPO concentration and U-Isop values. Uric acid concentration was higher in overweight and obese girls than in normal weight girls, while no significant differences were observed among boys across BMI categories. Furthermore, U-NOX values differed only in boys, with higher levels observed in overweight and obese individuals compared to those with normal weight. Multivariate analysis, adjusted for age and BMI z-score, demonstrated inverse associations between U-H2O2 and pulse wave velocity values, as well as between U-NOX and total or non-HDL cholesterol, exclusively in boys. In girls, a positive association between U-Isop and HOMA-IR values was observed.
Conclusions:
In conclusion, gender differentially impacts oxidative stress, nitric oxide bioavailability, and cardiometabolic risk factors in prepubertal children. Prepubertal girls appear more susceptible to oxidative stress-induced metabolic dysfunction, while in boys, elevated levels of redox and nitric oxide bioavailability markers seem to provide protection against arterial stiffness and lipid homeostasis.
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