Endocrine Abstracts

With the increasing prevalence of obesity in children, there is a growing number of its comorbidities as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of NAFLD in a group of obese patients and to identify additional risk factors for NAFLD development in the examined population.

Materials and methods: We examined 88 obese children (41 boys) mean age 14.4 (±2.6) hospitalized in our department in 2013. The analysis evaluated anthropometric parameters, body composition, calculated indicators: BMI, waist:hip ratio (WHR), waist:height ratio (W/HtR), and the components of the metabolic syndrome (MS). The assessment of liver function and steatosis was assessed by ALT and ultrasound respectively.

Results: MS was diagnosed in the 26 (29.54%) of children. 24 (27.27%) of patients had fatty liver on ultrasound. MS was more often diagnosed among children with hepatic steatosis compared to a normal liver group (50 vs 27.2%). Among the anthropometric parameters only WHR significantly correlated with the occurrence of fatty liver in the ultrasound image. Liver hyperechogenicity level correlated significantly with fasting insulin level, insulin and glucose in 120 min of OGTT and HOMA–IR index. There was the significant correlation between concentration of ALT and the sum of the MS components.

Conclusions: Obese children who met MS criteria have to be screened for the NAFLD. Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance seem to be the prognostic factors indicating rigorous liver function assessment in obese children.