Ratio of lipid parameters to coenzyme Q10 could be used as biomarker of the development of early complications of obesity in children.

BACKGROUND Chronic obesity is associated with reduced levels of antioxidants, increased free oxygen radicals, and oxidative stress. Child obesity may lead to the development of complications, such as changes in metabolism, metabolic syndrome, neurological, cardiological, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrinological, and musculoskeletal conditions. The aim of the present study is to establish whether there is a correlation between basal CoQ10 plasma concentration and the ratio of lipid parameters to CoQ10 in obese children. METHODS The study included 101 obese children and 20 non-obese children, aged 10-18 years. Antioxidants - CoQ10-OX, α-tocopherol, β-carotene - in plasma were measured by HPLC method with UV detector, and plasma malondialdehyde spectrophotometrically. RESULTS High correlation was found between plasma concentration of CoQ10 and the ratio of total Chol/CoQ10-OX as well as between CoQ10-OX and the ratio of HDL Chol/CoQ10 in plasma of obese children. The lowest correlation was between plasma concentration of CoQ10-OX and the ratio of LDL Chol/CoQ10 , as well as between CoQ10-OX and the ratio of TAG/CoQ10 in obese children. CONCLUSION An increase of the ratios of lipid parameters to CoQ10 is associated with child obesity and could be used as biomarkers of early complications in the development of obesity in children (Tab. 3, Fig. 5, Ref. 22).