Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition

The Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (대한소아소화기영양학회)
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Relationship between Quantitative Sonographic Measurements and Serum Biochemical Parameters in Childhood Obesity

  • Damar, Cagri (Department of Pediatric Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University) ;
  • ISik, Emregul (Clinics of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Gaziantep Children's Hospital) ;
  • Gungor, Sukru (Clinics of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University)
  • Received : 2020.11.23
  • Accepted : 2021.07.10
  • Published : 2021.09.15
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Abstract

Purpose: We investigated the relationship between sonographic measurements of fatty liver and body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-Z score), abdominal wall fat thickness (AWFT), and serum biochemical parameters in childhood obesity. Methods: Anthropometric, laboratory, and ultrasonography data were obtained from 174 children with BMI-Z score >1. After the qualitative grading of hepatosteatosis (grades 0-3), the quantitative liver-kidney echogenicity ratio (LKER) was calculated using a software tool. Groups according to sex, age (AG-I to AG-III), BMI-Z score (BMG-I to BMG-III), and hepatosteatosis degree (HS-I and HS-II) were formed. The differences and distributions of the variables were statistically analyzed and compared among the groups. Results: Serum transaminase and glucose levels showed a positive correlation with LKER, whereas the HDL level showed a negative correlation. BMI-Z score and AWFT showed a positive correlation with fasting insulin level and HOMA-IR value. LKER was significantly higher in girls than in boys (p=0.008). In the AG-I group (age 3-8.9 years), the BMI-Z score was significantly higher, whereas AWFT was significantly lower than in the other age groups (p<0.001). The cutoff point of LKER for predicting grade 2 or higher steatosis (HS-II group) was determined to be 1.83. Cardiovascular disease risk was significantly higher in the HS-II group (p=0.035). Conclusion: As a valuable quantitative measurement tool, LKER can be used for the sonographic screening of fatty liver. AWFT, on the basis of its correlation with fasting insulin level and HOMA-IR value, may be a useful sonographic parameter in the management of childhood obesity.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We thank Dr. Aksamoglu for his help in radiological image processing.

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