All issues > Volume 49(6); 2006

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2006;49(6):617-622. Published online June 15, 2006.

Serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in obese middle school boys

Jae-Ho JH Jeong¹, Jae-Woo JW Lim¹, Eun-Jeong EJ Cheon¹, Kyong-Og KO Ko¹, Young-Hyuk YH Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Korea

Correspondence Eun-Jeong EJ Cheon ,Email: kcm1000@kyuh.co.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: High-Sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) has been recognized as a very useful and sensitive predictor of the future risk of myocardial infarction. But the clinical significance of hs-CRP in children remains uncertain. To confirm the existence of obesity-induced vascular inflammation and the association between metabolic syndromes and elevation of CRP in children, we investigated the relationship among CRP, obesity, blood pressure(BP), and serum lipids in schoolboys.
Methods
: Twenty-eight obese(BMI 29.61¡¾3.29 kg/m2) and 93 non-obese(BMI 18.99¡¾2.21 kg/m2) boys aged 14 years were examined. Serum CRP levels was measured by the high sensitive latex turbidimetric immunoassay and subjects with CRP levels below 0.3 mg/dL were adopted to avoid the influence of acute infection.
Results
: Obese children had significantly higher hs-CRP levels than their non-obese group(0.104¡¾0.075 vs. 0.054¡¾0.005 mg/dL). In the obese group, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, apolipoprotein B, atherogenic index, and triglyceride were significantly higher than in non- obese. The BMI, diastolic blood pressure, apolipoprotein E, atherognic index, and triglyceride showed positive correlation with log CRP by simple regression. Multiple regression analysis indicated that BMI and apolipoprotein E were strongly related to CRP.
Conclusion
: This study revealed that obese children tended to have higher levels of serum hs- CRP, BP elevation and dyslipidemia than the control group and that BMI and apolipoprotein E were strongly related to CRP. These results indicate that obesity related metabolic syndrome can be developed in children.

Keywords :Obesity , hs-CRP , Metabolic syndrome