Obesity-related metabolic and endocrine disorders diagnosed during postoperative follow-up of slipped capital femoral epiphysis

Background and purpose Patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) are phenotypically overweight or obese and may therefore require clinical follow-up of obesity-related disorders. We evaluated obesity-related disorders such as dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), and vitamin-D deficiency during the postoperative period in patients with SCFE. Patients and methods - 51 patients who were operated and followed-up for SCFE and 62 healthy adolescents without SCFE (control group) were included in this retrospective study. Patients' BMI, serum lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglyceride), fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and serum vitamin D levels were evaluated. Results - At the time of surgery, 45 patients in the SCFE group were overweight or obese (BMI >25). At the latest follow-up, 42 patients in the SCFE group and 53 patients in the control group were overweight/obese. Abnormal serum lipid profile and ratio of total dyslipidemia were similar between the groups. 8 patients had abnormal HbA1c levels in the SCFE group and mean HbA1c levels were significantly higher in the SCFE group (p = 0.03). All patients and controls had low levels of vitamin D. Interpretation - Although serum lipid profile and vitamin D levels were detected as similar in SCFE and control groups, the potential risk of type 2DM identified via abnormal HbA1c levels was significantly higher in patients with SCFE. We recommend that patients diagnosed with SCFE should be considered as potential candidates for type 2DM; thus follow-up after surgical treatment should include not only orthopedic outcomes but also evaluation of future risk for DM.