ESPE Abstracts

Objective: There have no been studies enough about thyroid volumes of obese and adolescent children. In this study, we purposed comparing of thyroid volumes in respect of anthropometric, biochemical, metabolic parameters in following groups: Overweight, obese, morbid obese, and healthy children.

Method: Two groups were compared: The first group consisted of 190 children whose BMIs are above the 85th percentile. The second group was 90 children with normal weights. Anthropometric parameters of all children were noted. The following tests were performed in all children: fasting blood glucose, uric acid, total cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides, AST, ALT, TSH, free T₄, free T₃, thyroglobulin, anti-thyroglobulin, anti-thyroid peroxidase, insulin, ACTH, cortisol, IGF1, IGFBP3, urine iodine, and HOMA-IR. All children thyroid volumes were measured with thyroid ultrasound. SSPE for Windows version programme was used for statistical analysis. P<0.05 values were considered statistically significant.

Findings: In two groups between morbid obese and control grups, there was statistically significant difference both anthropometric parameters and some tests that include uric acid, triglycerides, ALT, free T₃, and insulin. There was correlation between fatty liver and metabolic syndrome,insulin resistance. High ALT level may use as a marker to determine fatty liver. In over 12-year-old children with morbid obese, thyroid volumes are larger than healthy children’s. However there was apositive correlation between thyroid volume and IGF1 level; we didn’t find statistically significant difference in respect of IGF1/IGFBP3 rates in any groups.

Result: In this study, we found that thyroid volumes of morbid obese children larger than healthy children’s. This finding can contribute to literature. We also consider that not only IGF1 can cause enlargement in the size of thyroid volume, but also insulin may play important role.