The possible role of liver steatosis in defining metabolic syndrome in prepubertal children

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Insulin resistance is a key component of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and is strongly associated with liver steatosis. Our aim was to evaluate whether MS should be diagnosed already in obese prepubertal children and whether its prevalence is influenced by the inclusion of hepatic steatosis as a diagnostic criterion. Eighty-nine obese children (43 boys; age median [range], 8.5 [6-10] years) were enrolled. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to a classic definition: presence of 3 or more of the following criteria—body mass index greater than 2 standard deviation score, triglycerides greater than the 95th percentile, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol less than the fifth percentile, blood pressure greater than the 95th percentile, and impaired glucose tolerance. Afterward, liver steatosis was included as an additional criterion to this definition. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 12 children (13.5%) according to the first definition and in 18 children (20.2%) when liver steatosis was included. The prevalence of MS increased across homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance tertiles ( P for trend = .01). The prevalence of the single components of the MS was as follows: obesity, 100%; hypertriglyceridemia, 27%; low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 2.2%; hypertension, 34.8%; impaired glucose tolerance, 4.5%; and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, 21.3%. In conclusion, MS is common already among prepubertal obese children, particularly when liver steatosis is included among the diagnostic criteria. Therefore, screening for the MS should be performed in this age group; and hepatic steatosis should be considered as an additional diagnostic criterion.