High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels and Metabolic Disorders in Obese and Overweight Children and Adolescents

OBJECTIVE To compare high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels in obese and overweight children and adolescents to normal-weight individuals as well as to compare hsCRP levels in overweight children/adolescents with and without additional metabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome (MS), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and prediabetes. METHODS 54 consecutive obese children and adolescents with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 95th centile and 50 overweight children and adolescents with BMI values between 85th and 95th centiles were screened for MS, prediabetes and NAFLD. Serum hsCRP levels were measured in all the participants and in 40 age-matched normal-weight individuals (controls). RESULTS HsCRP levels were significantly increased in obese and overweight subjects as compared to the control group, (0.61 ± 1.08 vs. 0.05 ± 0.18 mg/dL,p<0.001 and 0.33 ± 0.25 vs. 0.05 ± 0.18 mg/dL, p<0.001, respectively). HsCRP levels were similar between obese and overweight subjects (p=0.109). Obese and overweight children with NAFLD had significantly higher levels of hsCRP compared to their counterparts without NAFLD (0.78 ± 1.4 vs. 0.34 ± 0.31 mg/dL, p=0.016). The levels of hsCRP were comparable in the obese and overweight children/adolescents with and without MS and with or without prediabetes(0.95 ± 1.66 vs. 0.35 ± 0.27 mg/dL, p = 0.096 and 0.43 ± 0.34 vs. 0.53 ± 1.0mg/dL, p=0.589, respectively). CONCLUSIONS HsCRP is significantly elevated in children and adolescents with excess weight as compared to normal-weight individuals. In addition,children and adolescents with excessive weight and NAFLD show increased levels of hsCRP compared to their counterparts with normal liver.