ESPE Abstracts

Background: It remains unclear whether cardiometabolic and vascular risks in Turner syndrome (TS) are the consequence of unidentified intrinsic factors or, conversely, the result of modifiable risk factors, such as overweight. New markers that could explain the pathogenesis of metabolic complications are under investigation.

Objective: The comparison of the selected biochemical cardiometabolic risk markers between TS patients and healthy controls.

Method: Concentration of circulating metalloproteinases (MMP-1, -2, -9), their inhibitors (TIMP-1), Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Glial Cell-line Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) and (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors) VEGF were measured in 28 girls: in 17 girls with TS and in 11 healthy girls with non-pathologic short stature (control group-CG). None of the participants had BMI >97 pc.

Results: No differences in chronological and bone age, the mean weight or z-score BMI were noted in TS and CG. The mean baseline values of MMP-1 and BDNF were significantly lower (both P<0.01) in the CG in compare to TS population. Regression analysis in the entire group revealed positive correlation between z-score BMI and both MMP-1 and BDNF concentration (P<0.05, r=0.36; P<0.01, r=0.50, respectively). There were no significant differences between TS and CG in the concentrations of other biochemical cardiovascular risk markers.

Conclusion: MMP-1 could be recognized as a potential indicator of higher risk of cardiometabolic complications in TS girls. The higher concentrations of BDNF in normal-weight TS girls need further study in which the influence of estrogens-androgens imbalance should be taken into consideration.