The role of uric acid in the insulin resistance in children and adolescents with obesity / O papel do ácido úrico na resistência insulínica em crianças e adolescentes com obesidade

Objective: To investigate the association between serum uric acid levels and insulin resistance in children and adolescents with obesity. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 245 children and adolescents (134 obese and 111 controls), aged 8-18 years. The anthropometric variables (weight, height and waist circumference), blood pressure and biochemical parameters were collected. The clinical characteristics of the groups were analyzed by t-test or chi-square test. To evaluate the association between uric acid levels and insulin resistance the Pearson's test and logistic regression were applied. Results: The prevalence of insulin resistance was 26.9%. The anthropometric variables, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and biochemical variables were significantly higher in the obese group (p<0.001), except for the high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. There was a positive and significant correlation between anthropometric variables and uric acid with HOMA-IR in the obese and in the control groups, which was higher in the obese group and in the total sample. The logistic regression model that included age, gender and obesity, showed an odds ratio of uric acid as a variable associated with insulin resistance of 1.91 (95%CI 1.40-2.62; p<−0.001). Conclusions: The increase in serum uric acid showed a positive statistical correlation with insulin resistance and it is associated with and increased risk of insulin resistance in obese children and adolescents.

Objetivo: Investigar a associação entre os níveis séricos de ácido úrico e a resistência insulínica em crianças e adolescentes com obesidade. Métodos: Estudo transversal, com 245 crianças e adolescentes (134 obesos e 111 controles), entre oito e 18 anos. Foram coletadas variáveis antropométricas (peso, estatura e circunferência abdominal), pressão arterial e parâmetros bioquímicos. As características clínicas dos grupos foram analisadas pelo teste t ou pelo qui-quadrado. Para avaliar a associação entre os níveis de ácido úrico e a resistência insulínica usaram-se o teste de Pearson e regressão logística. A resistência insulínica foi a variável dependente no modelo de regressão. Resultados: A prevalência de resistência insulínica foi de 26,9%. As variáveis antropométricas, a pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica e as variáveis bioquímicas foram maiores no grupo obeso (p<0,001), exceto o colesterol de alta densidade. Foi observada correlação positiva e significativa entre as variáveis antropométricas e o ácido úrico com o HOMA-IR no grupo obeso e no controle. Essa foi maior no grupo obeso e na amostra total. No modelo de regressão logística que incluiu idade, sexo e obesidade, a odds ratio do ácido úrico como fator associado à resistência insulínica foi de 1,91 (IC95% 1,40-2,62; p<0,001). Conclusões: Observa-se que o aumento no nível sérico de ácido úrico apresenta correlação estatística positiva com a resistência insulínica e está associado à elevação no risco em crianças e adolescentes obesos.

[The role of uric acid in the insulin resistance in children and adolescents with obesity]. / O papel do ácido úrico na resistência insulínica em crianças e adolescentes com obesidade.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between serum uric acid levels and insulin resistance in children and adolescents with obesity. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 245 children and adolescents (134 obese and 111 controls), aged 8 to 18 years. The anthropometric variables (weight, height and waist circumference), blood pressure and biochemical parameters were collected. The clinical characteristics of the groups were analyzed by t-test or chi-square test. To evaluate the association between uric acid levels and insulin resistance the Pearson's test and logistic regression were applied. RESULTS: The prevalence of insulin resistance was 26.9%. The anthropometric variables, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and biochemical variables were significantly higher in the obese group (p<0.001), except for the high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. There was a positive and significant correlation between anthropometric variables and uric acid with HOMA-IR in the obese and in the control groups, which was higher in the obese group and in the total sample. The logistic regression model that included age, gender and obesity, showed an odds ratio of uric acid as a variable associated with insulin resistance of 1.91 (95%CI 1.40 to 2.62; p<-0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in serum uric acid showed a positive statistical correlation with insulin resistance and it is associated with and increased risk of insulin resistance in obese children and adolescents.