Obese Hispanic Adolescents Have Subclinical Inflammation

THURSDAY, Feb. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight Hispanic children and adolescents with normal glucose tolerance have higher levels of plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation as well as high blood pressure, high triglycerides and insulin resistance, researchers report in the March issue of Diabetes Care.

A. Enrique Caballero, M.D., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues measured plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation and pro-coagulation in Hispanic adolescents aged 10 to 18 years, including 21 who were overweight (body mass index greater than the 85th percentile) and 17 who were lean (BMI 25th to 50th percentile) with normal glucose tolerance.

The researchers found that the overweight adolescents had higher systolic blood pressure, higher triglycerides, and were more insulin resistant. The overweight group also had significantly higher levels of intracellular adhesion molecule, tumor necrosis factor-α, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, plasminogen-activated inhibitor-1, tissue plasminogen activator and white blood cell count, as well as significantly lower levels of adiponectin.

"Overweight Hispanic children and adolescents with normal glucose tolerance exhibit increased plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical inflammation in association with obesity and insulin resistance," Caballero and colleagues conclude. "These abnormalities may predispose them to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease."

The study received support from Sanofi-Aventis, and several of the study authors have disclosed relationships with pharmaceutical companies.

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