ESPE Abstracts

Objectives: The aim was to clarify the associations of Irisin with obesity and early onset metabolic and vascular sequelae in Chinese children, and to examine whether the association between obesity and endothelial dysfunction and vascular Inflammation was mediated by Irisin.

Methods: We quantified Irisin serum levels in 85 lean and 120 obese children and assessed associations with metabolic and cardiovascular parameters in obese children. In addition, a potential direct effect of Irisin on endothelial activation was assessed in children.

Results: Irisin serum levels was significantly lower in obese children compared to lean children and correlated with physical parameters such as SDS-BMI, WC, VAI and ABSI. Moreover, we identified significant inversely associations with the measures of inflammation and markers of endothelial activation in obese children. Multiple regression analyses confirmed Irisin as the strongest predictor of SDS-SBP, Ang-2, ICAM-1, E-selectin and hsCRP independent of SDS-BMI. Lifestyle intervention results in a significant improvement of these cardiovascular and inflammatory parameters, and these were accompanied by significant improvement in Irisin and weight loss. Finally, in the mediation effect model, our data showed that Irisin changes act as partial mediators of the relationship between SDS-BMI changes and changes in inflammatory and endothelial parameters for ICAM-1, E-selectin and hsCRP after controlling for covariates.

Conclusions: We speculated that Irisin may have some influence on the early stages of cardiovascular disease in obese children.