Gender-based differences in the clustering of metabolic syndrome factors in children and adolescents

Valeria Calcaterra; Daniela Larizza; Annalisa De Silvestri; Riccardo Albertini; Federica Vinci; Corrado Regalbuto; Giulia Dobbiani; Chiara Montalbano; Gloria Pelizzo; Hellas Cena

doi:10.1515/jpem-2019-0134

Article

Gender-based differences in the clustering of metabolic syndrome factors in children and adolescents

Valeria Calcaterra , Daniela Larizza , Annalisa De Silvestri , Riccardo Albertini , Federica Vinci , Corrado Regalbuto , Giulia Dobbiani , Chiara Montalbano , Gloria Pelizzo and Hellas Cena

Published/Copyright: January 13, 2020

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From the journal Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism Volume 33 Issue 2

Abstract

Background

We depicted gender-differences in metabolic syndrome (MS) clustering before and after puberty in pediatrics, in order to develop gender specific preventive strategies for childhood obesity.

Methods

We considered 1079 children and adolescents (529 females and 550 males; mean age 11.5 ± 2.8 year). According to body mass index (BMI) percentiles the subjects were classified as normal weight BMI <75th, overweight BMI 75–95th and with obesity BMI >95th. MS was diagnosed when three of the following criteria for age and sex percentiles were met: BMI >95th, triglycerides (TGs) level >95th, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) level <5th, blood pressure (blood pressure) >95th percentile, fasting blood glucose (FBG) >100 mg/dL and/or homeostatic model assessment- insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) >97.5th percentile.

Results

The prevalence of dismetabolic factors was similar in both genders, except for pathological BP, which was higher in males (p = 0.02). MS was detected only in patients with obesity, with a higher prevalence in pubertal than late/post-pubertal subjects (p < 0.001), without any significant difference between gender. In pre-puberty, the most common MS combination was obesity (HBMI) + hypertension (HBP) + hyperglycemia/insulin resistance (HGLY/IR) followed by HBMI + low HDL-levels (LHDL) + HGLY/IR versus HBMI + HBP + HGLY/IR followed by HBMI + HBP + LHDL, respectively, in females and males. In the early and late/post-pubertal periods, the most prevalent combination remained similar to pre-puberty, additionally in both sexes other combinations, such as HBMI + HTG + HBP + HGLY/IR, HBMI + HBP + LHDL + HGLY/IR, HBMI + HTG + LHDL + HGLY/IR and HBMI + HTG + LHDL + HBP + HGLY/IR were also detected, differently distributed in males and females.

Conclusions

We confirm that MS is an important consequence related to obesity, particularly in the post-puberty stage. Some gender-based differences should be considered early in order to identify specific preventive and treatment strategies.

Keywords: adolescents; children; combination; gender; metabolic syndrome; sex

Corresponding author: Dott. ssa Valeria Calcaterra, MD, Pediatric Endocrinologic Unit, Department of Maternal and Children’s Health, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, P.le Golgi n.2, 27100, Pavia, Italy; and Pediatric and Adolescent Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy, Phone: +390382502930, Fax: +390382527976

Acknowledgement

Not applicable.

Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Disclosure statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding sources: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Received: 2019-03-22

Accepted: 2019-11-18

Published Online: 2020-01-13

Published in Print: 2020-02-25

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jpem-2019-0134

Keywords for this article

adolescents; children; combination; gender; metabolic syndrome; sex