ESPE Abstracts

Background: In adults, insulin resistance is associated with vascular damage and progressive loss of the endothelial protective functions. Additionally, it further complicates the micro- and macro- vascular environment through increasing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate how apoptosis and antioxidant markers are correlated with biochemical markers in children, during the glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Methods: A prospective study with 30 participants living in Peloponnese, Greece, 7–16 years old, was conducted. OGTT and biochemical analyses were performed. Anti-Human Cd95 (Apo1fas) and cck18 (Kaspase-Cleaved-Keratin-18) were measured as apoptotic markers while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione Peroxidase 3 (GPX3) were measured as antioxidant markers. Children were studied in two categories: with normal or impaired glucose tolerance.

Results: 70% of the children had BMI%≥ 95% and impaired glucose tolerance. Children with normal glucose tolerance showed that Apo1fas and CCK18 were negatively correlated with BMI % (P=0.021 and P=0.043, respectively), GPX3 was positively correlated with insulin (P=0.025), Free thyroxine (FT4) (P=0.008) and HgbA1c (P=0.01). In children with impaired glucose tolerance SOD was positively correlated with HgbA1c (P=0.031), GPX3 was positively correlated with Triiodothyronine (T3) (P=0.001) and negatively correlated with IGF-1 (P=0.016). The measurement of apoptotic and antioxidant markers during the OGTT showed a gradual increase in their concentrations reaching maximum levels at t=60 and 90 min.

Conclusions: Our study suggests that in children, apoptotic and antioxidant markers change during the post-prandial state. In children with normal glucose tolerance: (1) the decrease in both apoptotic markers, Apo1fas and CCK18, in correlation to increased BMI% may be the body’s attempt to compensate for the negative effects of childhood obesity and (2) the increase in the antioxidant marker, GPX3, with increased insulin concentration during the OGTT may be part of a protective mechanism in response to increased oxidative stress. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the role of apoptosis and oxidative stress during the post-prandial state in children.