Is there a relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in childhood obesity?

Aim: In this study, parameters of metabolic syndrome and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in obese children and adolescents were evaluated and the associations between these factors were analyzed. Method: One hundred obese and 40 healthy children/ adolescents were included in the study. Pubertal stages, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were recorded. Levels of fasting serum lipids, glucose, insulin, and DHEAS, and liver function tests were determined. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was measured using two-dimensional echocardiography. Steatorrhoeic hepatosis was evaluated using abdominal ultrasonography in the obese group. Results: Mean body weight, body mass index, waist, hip circumference, waist/hip ratio, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine transferase, DHEAS, and CIMT values were significantly higher in the obese group than in the controls. DHEAS levels were found to be positively correlated with waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, and CIMT. Conclusion: Early determination of metabolic and cardiac dysfunction in obese children is important for the prevention of future complications. Since in this study we found a strong association between DHEAS levels and obesity-related metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors, we believe that this may lead to increased interest in further studies of DHEAS in the search for new treatment approaches.