ESPE Abstracts

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the performance of waist circumference triglyceride index(WTI) to predict non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) in obese children.

Methods: In this study 139 obese children(71 girls) were included(6-18 years). Height, weight, body mass index(BMI), waist circumference(WC), puberty stage, blood pressure, and biochemical values were obtained from the medical records. SDS and percentiles were calculated. The WTI was calculated as WC(cm)x triglyceride concentration(mmol/L). The total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol index(TC/HDL-C) was calculated. NAFLD was showed by ultrasound. The AUC and appropriate cutoff points for WTI were calculated by ROC analysis.

Results: Anthropometric measurements, biochemical values and indexes in patients with and without liver fat are summarized in the Table 1. The WTI showed a positive correlation with weight(rho=0.2;P=0,037), insulin (rho=0.45;P<0.001), HOMA-IR(rho=0.44;P<0.001), uric acid(rho=0.97;P<0.001), TC(rho=0.35;P=0.004), TC/HDL-C(rho=0.46;P<0.001) and triglyceride(rho=0.957;P<0.001). It was found that WTI values could be used to diagnose hepatosteatosis[AUC=0.65 (0,56-0,75);P=0.002]. Sensitivity and specificity values for WTI≥190.4 cases were found as 51% and 75%, respectively. The cut-off points for WTI were AUC=0.71;P=0.003 (sensitivity=53%, specificity=82%) in males and AUC=0.67;P=0.003 (sensitivity=57%, specificity=75%) in pubertal.

Conclusion: The WTI is a powerful and easy tool to predict NAFLD in childhood and is correlated with uric acid level. This is the first study assessing the accuracy of WTI in childhood obesity.