The effect of insulin resistance and obesity on low-density lipoprotein particle size in children.

OBJECTIVE

In adults, it was shown that obesity and insulin resistance affect low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size and small dense (sd) LDL is associated with cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of obesity and insulin resistance on LDL particle size.

METHODS

Twenty-six obese children (13 girls, 13 boys) with a median age of 10.5 years and 27 healthy control subjects (17 girls, 10 boys) with a median age of 11.5 were enrolled in the study.

RESULTS

The number of patients with insulin resistance in the obese group was 15 out of 26. In the control group, there was no subject with insulin resistance. Serum triglyceride and very LDL (VLDL) levels were higher and serum high-density lipoprotein levels (HDL) were lower in the obese patients than in the controls. There was no statistical difference in the LDL particle size between the two groups (medians: 26.6 vs. 26.7 nm (p=0.575)). The size of LDL particle was not correlated with body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), or serum lipids.

CONCLUSION

Measurement of LDL particle size as a routine procedure is not necessary in childhood obesity.