ESPE Abstracts

Background: Adolescent hyperandrogenemia is prophase of polycystic ovary syndrome. Obesity is one important cause of hyperandrogenemia. Whether hyperandrogenemia has happened in obese children is need to explore.

Aims and objectives: To investigate the levels of insulin and androgens in obese children, analysis the correlation between insulin resistance and androgens, and comparison on the differences of androgens levels between obese boys and girls, and between prepubertal and pubertal obese children.

Methods: 110 obese children and 70 normal weight children were recruited in the outpatient department of endocrinology of Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in China in 2013–2015. Weight, height, waist circumference and blood pressure were measured in all children. Fasting glucose (FPG) and insulin (FINS) dehydroepiandrosterone sulphste (DHEAS), androstenedione (A4), testosterone (T), luteinising hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E2); blood lipids were measured. 2 h postprandia glucose and 2 h postprandia insuin were measured in obese children. HOMA-IR index was calculated.

Results and conclusions: i) Serum DHEAS in obese group, normal group were 3.08±2.52 umol/l, 2.40±1.67 umol/l respectively, P<0.05. Serum A4 in obese group, normal group were 6.27±7.42 nmol/l, 4.10±3.08 nmol/l respectively, P<0.05. Serum DHEAS, A4 in obese children were higher than normal children. There were showed no significant difference in T, LH, FSH, LH/FSH, E2 between obese and normal group. Correlation analysis showed that both DHEAS and A4 had a positive relationship with BMI, WC, FINS, 2 h INS, HOMA-IR. ii) Serum A4 in obese girls was higher than obese boys, but there was no significant difference in DHEAS levels between obese boys and obese girls. iii) The serum T, DHEAS, A4, LH, FSH, LH/FSH in children were higher in pubertal than prepubertal obese children. In conclusions i) The androgens are increasing in obese children, especial in pubertal obese girls. ii) A4 is more common androgen than T and DHEAS in obese children. iii) Hyperandrogenemia is associated with insulin resistance in obese children.