Relationship between body mass index and sexual development in Chinese children / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sexual development in Chinese children. Methods: A nationwide multicenter and population-based large cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China from January 2017 to December 2018. Data on sex, age, height, weight were collected, BMI was calculated and sexual characteristics were analyzed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on age, including ages 3-<6 years, 6-<10 years, 10-<15 years and 15-<18 years. Multiple Logistic regression models were used for evaluating the associations of BMI with sexual development in children. Dichotomous Logistic regression was used to compare the differences in the distribution of early and non-early puberty among normal weight, overweight and obese groups. Curves were drawn to analyze the relationship between the percentage of early puberty and BMI distribution in girls and boys at different Tanner stages. Results: A total of 208 179 healthy children (96 471 girls and 111 708 boys) were enrolled in this study. The OR values of B2, B3 and B4+ in overweight girls were 1.72 (95%CI: 1.56-1.89), 3.19 (95%CI: 2.86-3.57), 7.14 (95%CI: 6.33-8.05) and in obese girls were 2.05 (95%CI: 1.88-2.24), 4.98 (95%CI: 4.49-5.53), 11.21 (95%CI: 9.98-12.59), respectively; while the OR values of G2, G3, G4+ in overweight boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.38), 1.52 (95%CI: 1.36-1.70), 1.88 (95%CI: 1.66-2.14) and in obese boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.37), 1.59 (95%CI: 1.43-1.78), and 1.93 (95%CI: 1.70-2.18) (compared with normal weight Tanner 1 group,all P<0.01). Analysis in different age groups found that OR values of obese girls at B2 stage and boys at G2 stage were 2.02 (95%CI: 1.06-3.86) and 2.32 (95%CI:1.05-5.12) in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, respectively (both P<0.05). And in the age group of 6-10 years, overweight girls had a 5.45-fold risk and obese girls had a 12.54-fold risk of B3 stage compared to girls with normal BMI. Compared with normal weight children, the risk of early puberty was 2.67 times higher in overweight girls, 3.63 times higher in obese girls, and 1.22 times higher in overweight boys, 1.35 times higher in obese boys (all P<0.01). Among the children at each Tanner stages, the percentage of early puberty increased with the increase of BMI, from 5.7% (80/1 397), 16.1% (48/299), 13.8% (27/195) to 25.7% (198/769), 65.1% (209/321), 65.4% (157/240) in girls aged 8-<9, 10-<11 and 11-<12 years, and 6.6% (34/513), 18.7% (51/273), 21.6% (57/264) to 13.3% (96/722), 46.4% (140/302), 47.5% (105/221) in boys aged 9-<10, 12-<13 and 13-<14 years, respectively. Conclusions: BMI is positively correlated with sexual development in both Chinese boys and girls, and the correlation is stronger in girls. Obesity is a risk factor for precocious puberty in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, and 6-<10 years of age is a high risk period for early development in obese girls.

Association of body fat ratio with precocious puberty in girls / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the association of body fat ratio with precocious puberty in girls. Previous studies have shown that body mass index (BMI) is associated with the girls' age of puberty but have not revealed the association of body fat ratio with age of puberty.@*METHODS@#Based on the consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP), 128 children with precocious puberty who were admitted to the hospital from July to August, 2017, were divided into a CPP group with 87 children and a peripheral precocious puberty (PPP) group with 41 children. A total of 51 girls without any puberty development signs were enrolled as the control group. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the body fat ratios of upper limbs, legs, trunk, android area, gynoid area, and the whole body. The association between body fat ratios and precocious puberty was analyzed with reference to age, BMI, BMI-Z score, bone age, ovarian volume, and hormone levels.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, the CPP and PPP groups had significantly higher body fat ratios of upper limbs, legs, trunk, android area, gynoid area, and the whole body, legs/whole body fat ratio, and (upper limbs+legs)/trunk fat ratio (P0.05). For the girls with precocious puberty, the high body fat ratio group had significantly higher luteinizing hormone (LH) base value, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH)-stimulated LH peak value, and LH/follicle-stimulating hormone peak value than the low body fat ratio group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, both the high body fat ratio and low body fat ratio groups had a significantly higher LH base value (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The increase in body fat may be a factor inducing precocious puberty in girls, but further studies are needed to determine the mechanism.

Recurrent anorexia and pigmentation of skin for more than two months in an infant / 中国当代儿科杂志

A 2-month-old boy presented with adrenal insufficiency, impaired liver function, hypertriglyceridemia, significantly elevated creatine kinase and electrolyte disturbance. Microarray comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis test showed a pathogenic 8.7 Mb deletion in the short arm of chromosome X (Xp21.3 - p21.1) and confirmed the diagnosis of complex glycerol kinase deficiency (cGKD). He was treated with hydrocortisone, coenzyme Q10 and L-carnitine and was subsequently followed up for 4 years. His serum cortisol levels returned to normal one week later after treatment, but the serum creatine kinase, triglyceride and aminotransferase levels were progressively increased along with mental retardation and decreased muscular strength. cGKD is also named as Xp21 contiguous gene syndrome. The clinical manifestations of this disease include hypertriglyceridemia, congenital adrenal hypoplasia (AHC), Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and mental retardation. This case highlights the necessity to screen the serum triglyceride and creatine kinase levels in infants with suspected adrenal insufficiency.

Protective effect of cotransfection of A20 and HO-1 gene against the apoptosis induced by TNF-α in rat islets in vitro / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish the method for cotransferring human A20 gene and human heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene into the isolated rat islets using lentiviral transfection system, and to study the protective effect of A20 and HO-1 protein against the apoptosis induced by cycloheximide (CHX) and TNF-α, and finally to explore the underlying mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The A20 gene and HO-1 gene were cloned and inserted into the lentiviral transfection system. The efficacy of gene transfer was measured by the intensity of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fluorescence-positive islets. Western blot was applied to verify the expression of the A20 and HO-1 genes. To induce apoptosis in vitro, the isolated islets were treated with CHX+TNF-α, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and the fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) methods were used to evaluate the apoptosis of the islet cells and Western blot was used to detect caspase-3 activation.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>(1) A20 and HO-1 genes were introduced into the isolated islets by lentiviral transfection, both of the genes were highly expressed in the islets after 96 hours culture detected by Western blot method. (2) The insulin levels in the cell culture medium from A20 and/or HO-1 transgenic islets were significantly higher than that in non-transgenic controls (P < 0.01). (3)After CHX + TNF-alpha treatment, the cell culture medium insulin concentration in the A20 gene transfected group [(93.58 ± 4.12)µg/ml], HO-1 gene transfected group [(88.98 ± 4.77) µg/ml ] and A20/HO-1 co-transfected group [(103.33 ± 3.16) µg/ml] were significantly higher than that in the EGFP group [(9.03 ± 0.65) µg/ml ] and the control group [(8.86 ± 0.38) µg/ml] (P < 0.001). Minimum expression level of the activated caspase-3 was found in the A20/HO-1 co-transfected group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The lentiviral gene transfer system was an efficient and stable gene transfer vector, the over-expressed A20 and HO-1 protein delivered via lentivirus could preserve rats' islets function and act against the apoptosis induced by CHX and TNF-α.</p>

The establishment of "two-step sequential filtration method" on the yield rate of purified islets in rats / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop a simple, rapid and reliable method of purifying Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat islets by sequential filtration through two cell strainers of different sizes and to evaluate the efficacy of the method.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Islets were isolated from 8 to 12-week-old clean grade Sprague-Dawley rat pancreases using the standard collagenase digestion procedure and purified with either the generally used Ficoll density gradient method or the innovative two-step sequential filtration method. The purity and vitality of the isolated islets were visualized and assessed with DTZ and AO/PI staining. Glucose stimulating tests were performed to assay cell activity, and immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate the synthesis function of islet cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The yield of islets in the two-step filtration method group was 782±115 IEQ per rat, which was significantly higher than in the conventional Ficoll density gradient method group (598 ± 135 IEQ per rat, P < 0.01). Purity of the isolated islets in the two-step filtration method group was 90%-100% and vitality was over 95%. In the conventional Ficoll density gradient method group, islet purity was 65%-85% and vitality was 85%-95%. With regard to the high-sugar stimulation test in the two-step filtration method group, insulin concentrations in islets cultured for 24 hours were significantly higher than in those that were freshly purified (76.9 ± 6.1 μg/L vs 49.4 ± 3.9 μg/L; P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>A two-step sequential filtration method for rat islet purification was developed and the method was simple and reliable, with high islet vitality, purity and yield.</p>

Clinical features and molecular diagnosis of three patients with DiGeorge anomaly / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical features and molecular diagnostic methods of three patients with DiGeorge anomaly.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The clinical manifestations and immunological features of the three cases with DiGeorge anomaly were analyzed. We detected the chromosome 22q11.2 gene deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>(1) CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS: All three cases had varying degrees of infection, congenital heart disease and small thymus by imaging; two cases had significant hypocalcemia (1.11 mmol/L and 1.22 mmol/L, respectively), accompanied by convulsions; only 1 case had cleft palate and all had no significant facial deformity. (2) Immunological characteristics: All three cases had varying degrees of T-cell immune function defects (percentage of T lymphocytes was 24% - 43%, absolute count was 309 - 803/µl), and levels of immunoglobulin G, A, M, and percent of B lymphocytes and absolute count were normal. (3) Detection of the chromosome 22q11.2 gene deletion: 400 cells of each case were detected. All cells showed two green and one red hybridization signal, indicating the presence of gene deletions in chromosome 22q11.2. (4) OUTCOME: All three cases were treated with thymosin, and appropriate clinical intervention for cardiac malformations, hypocalcemia, and were followed-up for 4 - 18 months, the prognosis was good.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DiGeorge anomaly showed diverse clinical manifestations. We should consider the disease if patients had congenital heart disease, thymic hypoplasia, hypocalcemia and/or impaired immune function. FISH for detecting chromosome 22q11.2 gene deletion can be used as accurate and rapid diagnostic method. Thymosin treatment and other clinical intervention may help to improve the prognosis of patients with partial DiGeorge anomaly.</p>

Study on physique index set for Chinese children and adolescents / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To provide data as age-gender dependent mean,standard deviation and percentile on height,weight.waist circumference (WC),hip circumference (HC).body mass index (BMI),waist hip ratio (WHR),waist to height ratio (WHtR) among 7-16 year-olds Chinese children and adolescents,towards setting up diagnostic criteria on metabolic syndrome for them.Methods A representative sample involvng 22 197 children and adolescence aged 7 to 16 years were randomly surveyed and they were from 6 representative geographical areas,including Beijing.Tianjin? Hangzhou,Shanghai,Chongqing and Nanning.A total of 21858 had available data,with male/female ratio as:11460/10 398.Using the standard methods,we measured height,weight.WC,HC,BMI.WHtR and other data in all age groups.Physique indexes among different geographic regions (North.Mid-west and East) were compared.Results (1) Both male and female showed an inaeasing trend of height.weight,waist circumference,hip circumference and BMI along with the increase of age.WHR of girls decreased gradually from 0.84 to 0.76 went from 7 to 16 years old while WHR of boys changed from 0.87 to 0.81 accordingly.(2) WHtR was rarely affected by age.It fluctuated between 0.42-0.43 in all girls and 0.44-0.45 in boys less than 11 years.WHtR of boys older than 12 years showed a slight decline from 0.45 to 0.42 of WHtR.(3) The average height,weight,BMI of children and adolescents from the northem regions (Beijing,Tianjin) were significantly higher than that of the mid-western (Chongqing,Nanning) and the eastem regions (Shanghai,Hangzhou) (P＜0.001 ),while those from the mid-western region were slightly higher than that of the eastern region (P＜0.05) in each of the age group.Conclusion Reference values and percentile curves for WC and WHtR of Chinese children and adolescents were provided.For the assessment of central obesity.WHtR had the advantages of relative stability and small degree of variation and rarely affected by age and gender,when compared with WC.and could be used as an simple index to reflect the central obesity of children and adolescents.

Survey on the levels of lipids in school-aged children of Beijing, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Shanghai,Chongqing and Nanning cities / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To investigate the lipid levels of Han ethnicity Chinese children at school-age,to provide objective data for the formulation of prevention and management strategy regarding dyslipidemia among children and adolescents.Methods 20 191 children (with 10 669 boys and 9522 girls) aged 7 to 16 years old from 6 representative geographical areas,including Beijing,Tianjin,Hangzhou,Shanghai,Chongqing and Nanning,were surveyed in a randomly selected clustered sample in China.Data on fasting blood triglyceride (TG),total cholesterol (TC),lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured.Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels were calculated with data collection,entry,and collation were under the same criteria.Results (1) In the 7-16 year-old group,TG (P95) fluctuated between 1.26 mmol/L and 1.88 mmol/L,while TC (P95) was between 4.80 mmol/L and 5.46 mmol/L.LDL-C(P95) was between 2.67 mmol/L and 3.27 mmol/L while non-HDL-C (P95) was between 3.36 mmol/L and 3.91mmol/L,sugesting that age did not seem to be an affecting factor for the lipid level (P＞0.05).The level of HDL-C (P5) fluctuated bctwcen 1.08 mmol/L and 0.83 mmol/L,and the dependability analysis on HDL-C and age showed statistically significant difference (P＜0.01,r=-0.274).(2) In the 7-9 year-old group,the levels ofTG,TC,LDL-C and non-HDL-C of boys were lower but the HDL-C level was higher than in girls.However,in the 10-16 year-old group,the levels of five lipids of boys were all lower than in girls,with all the differences statistically significant (P＜0.05).(3) The levels of TG,TC,LDL-C and non-HDL-C in the obese group were significantly higher than those in non-obesity group,as HDL-C was significantly lower than in non-obese group(P＜0.01).Incidence rates of single and multiple dyslipidemia in obese group were significantly higher than in non-obese group (P＜0.01).(4) Grouped by region,the abnormal rates of TG were descending,with the ranking as North (10.4％),Midwest (9.7％) and East (8.3％),while the abnormal rates of TC were descending with the ranking as Midwest (6.0％),North (5.2％)and East (4.8％).The abnormal rates of LDL-C were descending as the ranking of North (3.1％),East (2.6％) and Midwest (0.9％),with the abnormal rates of non-HDL-C were descending as Midwest (6.5％),North(4.2％)and East (3.6％).The abnormal rates of HDL-C were descending as Midwess (14.2％),North(5.7％) and East(5.5％).All the differences in the above-said items were statistically significant (P＜0.05).(5) According to the standards of hyperlipidemia formulated by the American Academy of Pediatrics,the incidence rates of abnormal TG,TC,LDL-C,non-HDL-C,HDL-C were 9.4％,5.4％,2.2％,4.8％,8.6％ respectively.Conclusion (1) Levels of lipids were affected by many factors,but age was not one of them in children and adolescents.However,HDL-C was declining along with the increase of age,to some extent.(2)Girls had a relatively protective tendency through the increasing HDL-C level when they entered the puberty years.(3)Lipids levels in non-obese group were significantly better than the obese group.(4)The lipids levels of children and adolescents in the Eastern region of the country were better than that in the northern and mid-western areas.

Lipoprotein lipase gene mutations and the risk of cardiovascular diseases in children with obesity / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To inquire into the relationship between lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene D9N, N291S and S447X polymorphisms and the development of cardiovascular diseases in children with obesity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RLFP) techniques were used to detect three common mutations of LPL gene exon D9N, N291S and S447X in 157 obese children and 175 normal controls. Plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels between children with different genotypes were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The D9N and N291S gene mutations were not detected in either the obese or the control groups. There were no significant differences in the frequency of S447X gene mutation between the two groups. There were no significant differences in the levels of plasma lipid and lipoprotein between children with S447 and X447 genotypes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>D9N and N291S gene mutations may not be risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases in children with obesity. S447X gene mutation might not play an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases in childhood.</p>