Clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity
<h4>Background and aim</h4> A fraction of children with obesity have increased serum cortisol levels. In this study, we describe the clinical characteristics of obese children and adolescents with elevated morning serum cortisol levels and the relationship between the cortisol levels and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8528324/?tool=EBI |
| _version_ | 1818956956714401792 |
|---|---|
| author | Anton Martens Bünyamin Duran Jesse Vanbesien Stephanie Verheyden Bart Rutteman Willem Staels Ellen Anckaert Inge Gies Jean De Schepper |
| author_facet | Anton Martens Bünyamin Duran Jesse Vanbesien Stephanie Verheyden Bart Rutteman Willem Staels Ellen Anckaert Inge Gies Jean De Schepper |
| author_sort | Anton Martens |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background and aim</h4> A fraction of children with obesity have increased serum cortisol levels. In this study, we describe the clinical characteristics of obese children and adolescents with elevated morning serum cortisol levels and the relationship between the cortisol levels and components of the metabolic syndrome. <h4>Methods</h4> Retrospective medical record review study of children aged 4 to 18 years with overweight or obesity seen for obesity management in the Pediatric Obesity Clinic of the UZ Brussel between 2013 and 2015. <h4>Results</h4> A total of 234 children (99 boys and 135 girls) with overweight (BMI z-score > 1.3) without underlying endocrine or genetic conditions were included. Mean (SD) age was 10.1 (2.8) years, BMI SD-score 2.5 (0.6), and body fat percentage 37% (7.9). Serum fasting cortisol levels were elevated (>180 μg/L) in 49 children, normal (62–180 μg/L) in 168, and decreased (<62 μg/L) in 12. Serum fasting cortisol was not significantly correlated with gender, age, or degree of adiposity. But correlated significantly with fasting glucose (Rs = 0.193; p < 0.005), triglycerides (Rs = 0. 143; p < 0.05), fibrinogen (Rs = 0.144; p < 0.05) and leptin levels (Rs = 0.145; p < 0.05). After adjustment for serum insulin and leptin, the correlation between serum cortisol and fasting glucose remained significant. <h4>Conclusion</h4> Elevated morning serum cortisol levels were found in 20% of overweight or obese children and adolescents, irrespective of the degree of adiposity, and were associated with higher fasting glucose, irrespective of underlying insulin resistance. The long-term cardiometabolic consequences of hypercortisolemia in childhood obesity needs further study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T11:02:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-82aaea4ab2d54ad6b1a2db02060517fd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T11:02:12Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-82aaea4ab2d54ad6b1a2db02060517fd2022-12-21T19:43:00ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-011610Clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesityAnton MartensBünyamin DuranJesse VanbesienStephanie VerheydenBart RuttemanWillem StaelsEllen AnckaertInge GiesJean De Schepper<h4>Background and aim</h4> A fraction of children with obesity have increased serum cortisol levels. In this study, we describe the clinical characteristics of obese children and adolescents with elevated morning serum cortisol levels and the relationship between the cortisol levels and components of the metabolic syndrome. <h4>Methods</h4> Retrospective medical record review study of children aged 4 to 18 years with overweight or obesity seen for obesity management in the Pediatric Obesity Clinic of the UZ Brussel between 2013 and 2015. <h4>Results</h4> A total of 234 children (99 boys and 135 girls) with overweight (BMI z-score > 1.3) without underlying endocrine or genetic conditions were included. Mean (SD) age was 10.1 (2.8) years, BMI SD-score 2.5 (0.6), and body fat percentage 37% (7.9). Serum fasting cortisol levels were elevated (>180 μg/L) in 49 children, normal (62–180 μg/L) in 168, and decreased (<62 μg/L) in 12. Serum fasting cortisol was not significantly correlated with gender, age, or degree of adiposity. But correlated significantly with fasting glucose (Rs = 0.193; p < 0.005), triglycerides (Rs = 0. 143; p < 0.05), fibrinogen (Rs = 0.144; p < 0.05) and leptin levels (Rs = 0.145; p < 0.05). After adjustment for serum insulin and leptin, the correlation between serum cortisol and fasting glucose remained significant. <h4>Conclusion</h4> Elevated morning serum cortisol levels were found in 20% of overweight or obese children and adolescents, irrespective of the degree of adiposity, and were associated with higher fasting glucose, irrespective of underlying insulin resistance. The long-term cardiometabolic consequences of hypercortisolemia in childhood obesity needs further study.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8528324/?tool=EBI |
| spellingShingle | Anton Martens Bünyamin Duran Jesse Vanbesien Stephanie Verheyden Bart Rutteman Willem Staels Ellen Anckaert Inge Gies Jean De Schepper Clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity PLoS ONE |
| title | Clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity |
| title_full | Clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity |
| title_fullStr | Clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity |
| title_short | Clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity |
| title_sort | clinical and biological correlates of morning serum cortisol in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity |
| url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8528324/?tool=EBI |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT antonmartens clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity AT bunyaminduran clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity AT jessevanbesien clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity AT stephanieverheyden clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity AT bartrutteman clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity AT willemstaels clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity AT ellenanckaert clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity AT ingegies clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity AT jeandeschepper clinicalandbiologicalcorrelatesofmorningserumcortisolinchildrenandadolescentswithoverweightandobesity |