Obesity in children: criteria for predicting the development of hypertension

• Main Authors: T.V. Sorokman, N.O. Popeliuk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Publishing House Zaslavsky 2020-03-01
• Series: Mìžnarodnij Endokrinologìčnij Žurnal
• Subjects: children; obesity; overweight; hypertension; prognostic criteria
• Online Access: http://iej.zaslavsky.com.ua/article/view/201299
• ISSN: 2224-0721; 2307-1427

Background. Obesity in childhood causes a wide range of serious complications and increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular and other diseases. Formation of various types of hypertension in adolescents with overweight and obesity is cha­racterized by imbalance in the production of biologically active substances. Materials and methods. One hundred and sixty people were examined: with overweight (n = 35), obesity (abdominal (n = 35), uniform (n = 35)), and 55 healthy people. Blood lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol), endothelin-1, β2-micro­globulin were studied, as well as 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate in the urine. Results. A significant increase in the average daily va­lues of systolic, diastolic, mean hemodynamic and pulse blood pressure was established. Obese children had a tendency to react excessively in the form of an increase in the daily rate of systolic blood pressure elevations. In 57.1 % of patients with obesity, pathological abnormalities of the blood lipids were found: levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides were higher, and HDL cholesterol was lower in both groups of patients. A significant increase in the content of endothelin-1 and β2-microglobulin in the blood plasma of obese children and a tendency towards an increase in children with overweight, disturbances of the circadian rhythm of 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate secretion were revealed. Conclusions. Metabolic risk factors for the development of hypertension have been identified in children with obesity and overweight: dyslipidemia (hypertriglyceridemia, increased LDL cholesterol, reduced HDL cholesterol), increased β2-microglobulin and endothelin-1 levels, and an imbalance of melatonin secretion. Patients with these adverse factors should be closely monitored by a physician. A special attention should be paid to children with overweight as potential candidates for the development of obesity and its complications, including arterial hypertension.