Increased Arterial Stiffness in Adolescents With Obesity.

Increased arterial stiffness (AS) is an early sign of cardiovascular disease. Influence of weight, puberty, and insulin resistance (IR) on AS in adolescents is unclear. Therefore, this study compared AS, assessed with pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx), of adolescents with and without obesity and evaluated the influence of puberty and IR on AS. Sixty-two lean and 61 adolescents with obesity were included. Significantly higher PWV was observed in adolescents with obesity (4.1 ms-1 [2.4 to 5.6 ms-1] vs 3.6 ms-1 [0.4 to 6.1 ms-1]; P = .01), while AIx was not significant different. However, significantly higher AIx was observed in adolescents with obesity and IR (3.0 [-17.5% to 28.5%] vs -3.0 [-19.0% to 13.0%]; P = .01). For Tanner stages, no differences were observed. The higher PWV in adolescents with obesity and higher AIx in adolescents with obesity and IR both indicate an increased AS. Consequently, measurement of AS should be considered in adolescents with obesity and IR as part of cardiovascular risk assessment.

How to screen obese children at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus?

BACKGROUND: Recommended screening to identify children at risk for diabetes and its precursors impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and insulin resistance (IR) is fasted plasma glucose (FPG). This study evaluates the added value of fasted plasma insulin (FPI). METHODS: This study analyzed routinely collected data of an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) of 311 obese children (age 10.8 ± 3.2 years). Diabetes and IGT were defined according to the American Diabetes Association criteria, IR as homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR ≥3.4. RESULTS: Cases diagnosed with an OGTT if FPG ≥5.6 mmol/L, compared with an OGTT performed if FPG ≥5.6 mmol/L or HOMA-IR ≥3.4, were, respectively, 4 (80%) versus 5 (100%) with diabetes, 7 (28%) versus 16 (64%) with IGT, and 0 (0%) versus 93 (100%) with IR. CONCLUSIONS: Screening with FPG and FPI has equal burden compared with screening with FPG alone, identifies all patients with diabetes, and identifies more patients with precursors of diabetes.