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Relationship between elevated triglyceride levels with the increase of HOMA-IR and HOMA-β in healthy children and adolescents with normal weight

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that mildly elevated triglyceride levels are associated with the increase of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and β-cell function (HOMA-β) indices in healthy children and adolescents with normal weight, we conducted a cross-sectional population study. Based on fasting triglyceride levels, participants were allocated into groups with and without triglyceride levels ≥1.2 mmol/L. Normal weight was defined by body mass index between the 15th and 85th percentiles, for age and gender. Insulin resistance and insulin secretion were estimated using HOMA-IR and HOMA-β indices. A total of 1660 children and adolescents were enrolled, of them 327 (19.7 %) with mildly elevated triglycerides. The multivariate linear regression analysis showed that mildly elevated triglyceride levels in children were associated with HOMA-IR (β = 0.214, p < 0.001), HOMA-β (β = 0.139, p = 0.001), systolic (β = 0.094, p = 0.01), and diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.102, p = 0.007), whereas in adolescents, HOMA-IR (β = 0.267, p < 0.001) and HOMA-β (β = 0.154, p < 0.001), but not systolic (β = 0.029, p = 0.38) and diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.015, p = 0.642), showed association with mildly elevated triglycerides.

Conclusion: Mildly elevated triglyceride levels are associated with increased HOMA-IR and HOMA-β indices in healthy children and adolescents with normal weight.

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Fig. 1

Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

HDL-c:

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol

HOMA-IR:

Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance

HOMA-β:

Homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Sistema de Investigación Miguel Hidalgo del Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología 2002020201, the Fondo de Apoyo a la Investigación de la Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí CO2-10-13.53, and the Mexican Social Security Institute Foundation, Civil Association.

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Correspondence to Fernando Guerrero-Romero.

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Revised Dates: 27 August 2014 / 10 September 2014

Communicated by Beat Steinmann

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Simental-Mendía, L.E., Castañeda-Chacón, A., Rodriguez-Morán, M. et al. Relationship between elevated triglyceride levels with the increase of HOMA-IR and HOMA-β in healthy children and adolescents with normal weight. Eur J Pediatr 174, 597–605 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2426-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2426-z

Keywords

  • Triglycerides
  • Insulin action
  • Insulin secretion
  • Prepubertal children
  • Puberty