ESPE Abstracts

Background: Studies have shown that PAI-1 4G polymorphism is related to increased plasma PAI-1 levels, obesity, dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults. Few studies have explored that relationship in overweight/obese (Ow/Ob) children/adolescents.

Objective and hypotheses: We investigated the relation between plasma PAI-1 levels, PAI-1 4g polymorphisms and lipid profiles in Ow/Ob children/ adolescents compared with healthy normal body mass index controls.

Method: A total of 193 children/adolescents aged 2.2–17.4 years old (99 Ow/Ob, 93 controls) participated in the study. Anthropometry, BMI, PAI-1 plasma levels, fasting total cholesterol (TCh), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (Tg), apolipoproteins A and B (ApoA, ApoB) and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) were measured. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was performed for the 4G/4G, 4G/5G και 5G/5G PAI-1 polymorphisms in 89 Ow/Ob (89.9%) and 88 (94.6%) controls. IBM Statistics SPSS 20.0, P<0.05 were used.

Results: Mean age (y) for Ow/Ob group was 10.1y (9.9±2.8), for controls 10y (10±2.1). TCh, ApoA, PAI-1 plasma levels were statistically significantly higher in controls (P<0.007 and P<0.001 respectively), as LDL-C and Lp(a) (non-significant). Tg were significantly higher in the Ow/Ob group (P<0.001). HDL-C and ApoB were significantly lower in the Ow/Ob group (P<0.001 and P<0.026 respectively). In controls: compared to Ow/Ob higher mean values PAI-1 were observed in relation to genotypes 4G/4G, 5G/5G and 4G/5G (P=0.011, 0.008 and >0.05 respectively), 4G/4G genotype and PAI-1 levels correlated negatively to BMI, TCh, LDL- C, and Lp(a), 4G/5G correlated positively with Apo(B). Genotype 5G/5G was commonest (38.6%, P<0.05). In the Ow/Ob group: 4G/4G genotype was more prevalent (40.4%, P<0.05) and correlated positively to BMI and Tg.

Conclusion: Although, in conflict with previous studies, PAI-1 levels were higher in greek controls. 4G genotype was mostly noted in the Ow/Ob and associated with TCh and Tg, thus indicating a possible positive correlation with metabolic syndrome and CVD in that risk group. However, further studies are needed in children/adolescents.