Key result
Elevated homocysteine levels (≥7.3 μmol/l) in prepubertal children were associated with a higher frequency of overweight and obesity compared to low levels (37.1% vs 13.8%; p=0.035).
Why the study?
Are elevated homocysteine levels associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors, oxidative stress, and vascular alterations in prepubertal children?
Cross-Sectional (n=64)
Are elevated homocysteine levels associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors, oxidative stress, and vascular alterations in prepubertal children?
Absolute Event Rate: 37.1% vs 13.8%
p-value: p=0.035
In prepubertal children, elevated homocysteine levels are associated with overweight and obesity but not with early vascular alterations or oxidative stress after adjusting for nutritional status.
Elevated homocysteine may mark overweight in prepubertal children; hypothesis-generating and does not extend to independent vascular alterations.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Our purpose was to assess the presence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (alterations in the lipid profile, fasting glycaemia, high arterial pressure values, oxidative stress, increased intima media thickness and impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation) in prepubertal children with elevated homocysteine (Hcy) levels. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 35 children with Hcy levels ≥7.3 μmol/l were matched by gender and age with 29 children with Hcy levels ≤4.1 μmol/l. Our collected data included weight, height, waist circumference, systemic arterial pressure, lipid profile, fasting glycaemia and oxidative stress markers. A Doppler ultrasound was performed to measure the carotid intima media thickness and the endothelium-dependent vasodilation of the brachial artery. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding the lipid profile and fasting glycaemia, blood pressure or oxidative stress. Overweight and obesity (body mass index z-score > +1) were more frequent in the group with Hcy ≥7.3 μmol/l when compared to the group with Hcy ≤4.1 μmol/l [13/35 (37.1%) vs. 4/29 (13.8%); p = 0.035]. After adjusting for nutritional status, there were no differences in the intima media thickness and endothelium-dependent vasodilation between children with high and low Hcy levels. CONCLUSIONS: Among the cardiovascular risk factors investigated in the present study, which was based on prepubertal children, only overweight and obesity were associated with increased Hcy concentrations (≥7.3 μmol/l).
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Souza et al. (2013) conducted a cross-sectional in Prepubertal children (n=64). Elevated homocysteine levels (≥7.3 μmol/l) vs. Low homocysteine levels (≤4.1 μmol/l) was evaluated on Overweight and obesity (body mass index z-score > +1) (p=0.035). Elevated homocysteine levels (≥7.3 μmol/l) in prepubertal children were associated with a higher frequency of overweight and obesity compared to low levels (37.1% vs 13.8%; p=0.035).
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