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The Relationship of Periaortic Fat Thickness and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children with Turner Syndrome

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Abstract

Children with Turner syndrome (TS) have a broad range of later health problems, including an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between periaortic fat thickness (PAFT) and metabolic and cardiovascular profiles in children with TS. Twenty-nine TS and 29 healthy children and adolescents were enrolled in the study. Anthropometric measurements, pubertal staging, and blood pressure measurements were performed. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, and lipid profile were measured. Periaortic fat thickness was measured using an echocardiography method, which has not previously been applied in children with TS. No difference was found between TS and control subject (CS) in age, weight, waist/hip ratio, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. However, in TS subjects, total cholesterol (p = 0.045) was greater than that in controls. It was determined that 13.7 % (N: 4) of TS subjects had dyslipidemia. Mean fasting glucose, fasting insulin, QUICK-I, HOMA, and FGIR index were similar in TS and in CS, whereas 17.2 % (N: 5) of TS subjects had insulin resistance (IR) and 13.7 % (N: 4) had impaired glucose tolerance. Six subjects (20.6 %) were diagnosed as hypertensive. Periaortic fat thickness was significantly higher in the TS group (p < 0.001) (0.1694 ± 0.025 mm in the TS group and 0.1416 ± 0.014 mm in the CS group) In children with TS, PAFT was positively correlated with fasting insulin, body mass index, and diastolic blood pressure. Our results provide additional evidence for the presence of subclinical cardiovascular disease in TS. In addition to existing methods, we recommend the measurement of periaortic fat thickness in children with TS to reveal the presence of early atherosclerosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Konya Training and Research Hospital, 42090, Konya, Turkey

    Nesibe Akyürek

  2. Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, School of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Mehmet Emre Atabek & Beray Selver Eklioglu

  3. Department of Pediatric Cardiology, School of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Hayrullah Alp

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  1. Nesibe Akyürek
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  2. Mehmet Emre Atabek
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  3. Beray Selver Eklioglu
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  4. Hayrullah Alp
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Correspondence to Nesibe Akyürek.

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Akyürek, N., Atabek, M.E., Eklioglu, B.S. et al. The Relationship of Periaortic Fat Thickness and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children with Turner Syndrome. Pediatr Cardiol 36, 925–929 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-015-1098-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-015-1098-4

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