ESPE Abstracts

Background: Irisin is a newly discovered myokine which regulates energy metabolism and obesity (type 2 diabetes pathogenesis). However, results of the clinical studies investigating the relation of irisin with metabolic and anthropometric parameters remain controversial, and studies in obese children are limited.

Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to investigate the relation of serum irisin level with metabolic and anthropometric parameters in obese children.

Method: The study included obese children with a BMI >95th percentile and healthy children (3-85th percentile). Healthy and obese groups had similar age and gender distribution. Waist circumference (WC) measurement and bioimpedance analysis were performed to asses body fatness. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, lipid profile, leptin and irisin levels were measured.

Results: The study included 36 obese and 30 healthy children. Obese group had significantly higher BMI, BMI-SDS, WC, fat mas (kg), free body fat ratio (%), serum lipid level, insulin, and insulin resistance index by the homeostasis model assessment, systolic and diastolic blood pressure values when compared with the control group (P<0.05). Serum leptin and irisin level of the obese group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.01). No statistically significant difference was found when leptin and irisin levels were compared among obese patients regarding the presence of insulin resistance (P=0.202). In the obese and control groups, irisin level was not significantly correlated with any of the anthropometric and metabolic parameters (P>0.05).

Conclusion: This is the first study to evaluate irisin level in relation with leptin and body fat parameters in obese children, who had significantly higher irisin levels. We did not find any relation between irisin and anthropometric or metabolic parameters. We suggest that reasons for higher irisin level in obese children could be clarified with expanded studies accompanying status of the physical activity and muscle mass.