Key result
Obesity in children was associated with significantly higher serum hs-CRP levels (1.40 vs 0.55 mg/L), increased carotid intima-media thickness, and impaired flow-mediated dilation compared to healthy controls.
Why the study?
Does serum hs-CRP level correlate with early atherosclerosis markers (carotid IMT and brachial FMD) in obese children?
Case-Control (n=83)
Single-blind
No
Does serum hs-CRP level correlate with early atherosclerosis markers (carotid IMT and brachial FMD) in obese children?
Serum hs-CRP is significantly elevated in obese children and correlates with early atherosclerotic changes (increased IMT and impaired FMD), suggesting its utility as a simple marker for vascular inflammation.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
hs-CRP may mark early vascular changes in obese children; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
Childhood obesity seems to contribute to the development of vascular inflammation and the progression of arterial wall changes. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has recently emerged as a useful biomarker for vascular inflammation associated with atherosclerosis. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association of the serum hs-CRP level with ultrasonic findings of early atherosclerosis, carotid intima-media wall thickness (IMT) and brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), in obese children. Thirty eight obese children and 45 sex/age-matched healthy control children were recruited. Serum CRP levels were measured by the high-sensitive latex turbidimetric immunoassay, and we measured carotid IMT and brachial FMD using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. Obese children had significantly higher hs-CRP levels (1.40+/-0.74 mg/L vs. 0.55+/-0.49 mg/L, p<0.01), as well as increased IMT (0.52+/-0.09 mm vs. 0.41+/-0.07 mm, p<0.01) and impaired FMD (7.35+/-7.78% vs. 20.34+/-16.81%, p<0.01) compared to healthy controls. Serum hs-CRP correlated positively with IMT (r=0.413, p<0.05) and inversely with FMD (r=-0.350, p<0.05) in the obesity group. Measurement of the serum hs-CRP level is a simple, cheap, and highly reproducible assay and correlates with IMT and FMD in obese children. Thus, it would be a useful marker for evaluating and estimating the degree of atherosclerosis in children.
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Roh et al. (2007) conducted a case-control in Obesity and Early Atherosclerosis (n=83). Obesity vs. Healthy, non-obese children was evaluated on Serum hs-CRP levels (mg/L) (p=<0.01). Obesity in children was associated with significantly higher serum hs-CRP levels (1.40 vs 0.55 mg/L), increased carotid intima-media thickness, and impaired flow-mediated dilation compared to healthy controls.
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