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Intra-erythrocyte Magnesium Is Associated with Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase in Obese Children and Adolescents

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Abstract

This study aims at determining the association between markers of hepatic injury and serum, urinary, and intra-erythrocyte magnesium concentrations and dietary magnesium intake in obese children and adolescents. In a case–control study, 42 obese children and adolescents (8–18 years) and 42 sex- and puberty-matched controls were studied. Serum, urinary, and intra-erythrocyte magnesium levels, indices of insulin sensitivity, and liver enzymes were measured. Dietary magnesium intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Obese children and adolescents exhibited insulin resistance as determined by a higher fasting insulin and the HOMA-IR (p < 0.001) and lower QUICKI indices (p = 0.001); in addition these subjects had significantly higher intra-erythrocyte magnesium (IEM) concentrations, than non-obese ones (3.99 ± 1.05 vs. 3.35 ± 1.26 mg/dL of packed cell; p = 0.015). Among liver enzymes, only gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was significantly higher in obese than in non-obese subjects (22.7 ± 9.4 vs. 17.1 ± 7.9 U/l; p = 0.002). A positive association was found between GGT and IEM in both groups; however in multivariate analysis, in obese subjects, only GGT (p = 0.026) and, in non-obese subjects, only age (p = 0.006) remained as significant predictors of IEM. In conclusion, increased IEM concentration was seen in insulin-resistant obese children and adolescents; furthermore, serum GGT was associated with IEM, independently of body mass index and HOMA-IR.

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Acknowledgments

This study, the fellowship thesis of Dr. S. Arbabi (in endocrinology), was supported by a grant (no. 179) from the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The authors wish to thank the participants of the study, members of the laboratory, and Dr. Peymaneh Sarkheil for their help. We would also like to acknowledge Ms. Nilufar Shiva for linguistic editing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Prevention of Metabolic Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Maryam Tohidi, Farzad Hadaegh & Shamsi Arbabi

  2. Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Asghar Ghasemi

  3. Obesity Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Firoozeh Hosseini Isfahani

Authors
  1. Maryam Tohidi
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  2. Asghar Ghasemi
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  3. Farzad Hadaegh
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  4. Shamsi Arbabi
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  5. Firoozeh Hosseini Isfahani
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Correspondence to Asghar Ghasemi.

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Tohidi, M., Ghasemi, A., Hadaegh, F. et al. Intra-erythrocyte Magnesium Is Associated with Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase in Obese Children and Adolescents. Biol Trace Elem Res 143, 835–843 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8949-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8949-x

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