Abstract
Objective To investigate the factors associated with platelet activation in obese children.
Design Cross-Sectional study.
Setting Department of Pediatrics of Regional Hospital N° 1 of Mexican Institute of Social Security in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
Participants 79 obese and 64 non obese children between 5 and 10 years.
Main Outcomes Measures Obese children (body mass index (BMI) >85 in growth curves for CDC/National Center for Health Statistics), and the control group comprised 64 non-obese children (percentile <85), % body fat; platelet activation was assessed by sP-Selectin; other measures were Leptin; Uric Acid (UA); von Willebrand Factor(vWF), Plasminogen activator inhibitor(PAI-1), lipid profile, glucose.
Results Obese children displayed higher plasma sP-Selectin, Leptin, PAI-1, and vWF than non-obese children. In the univariate logistic regression analysis, Leptin, vWF, UA, and HDL but not with PAI-1 were factors associated with platelet activation. By stepwise linear regression analysis adjusted by sex and age, the best predictor variables for platelet activation were Leptin (β:0.381;t:4.665;P=0.0001), vWF (β:0.211;t:2.926;P=0.004), UA (β:0.166;t:2.146;P=0.034) and HDL (β:−0.215;t:−2.819;P=0.006).
Conclusions Obese children have a higher risk of developing early platelet activation. Factors associated with platelet activation were Leptin, vWF, UA and HDL. Further studies involving larger number of patients over a longer duration are needed to understand the possible molecular mechanism underlying the association between Leptin, vWF, and UA and endothelial activation and/or endothelial damage/dysfunction in obese children and its influence in cardiovascular disease in adult stage.
- Received April 8, 2013.
- Revision received July 31, 2013.
- Accepted September 4, 2013.
