Low Grade Inflammation in Childhood Obesity : an Independent Risk Factor for Endothelial Dysfunction

Obesity and overweight have become an important health burden in children and adolescents, with 19% of all children between 5 and 18 years being either obese or overweight in Belgium. Obesity and especially visceral adiposity early in life may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease at older age, as it shows tracking into adulthood and is be associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, arterial hypertension and low grade inflammation, in a variable percentage.

Low grade inflammation, as assessed by hSCRP, was found to be present in 20.6 % and 19.8 % of overweight children and adolescents. In adults, hSCRP levels between 1 and 3 mg/L and above 3 mg/L are considered coronary disease risk factors.

Endothelial dysfunction, know to precede the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, can be assessed in a non-invasive manner in children by peripheral artery tonometry. Only few studies have been performed in obese children with this bed-side technique, showing either normal of a disturbed function, reflected by a lower reactive hyperemia index. The association with low grade inflammation however was assessed in only one study. The investigators hypothesize that in adolescents and young adults with a history of childhood obesity a more disturbed endothelial function will be present in those with and /or current elevated hSCRP value.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 12-21 years at the moment of evaluation
• BMI > 1.3 Standard Deviation Score at the initial evaluation
• Hs-CRP available at initial evaluation

Exclusion criteria

• Acute of chronic Infection at the time of the study visit
• Be or have been a smoker of tabacco