ABSTRACT
Background: Infectobesity' is a new term to describe obesity of infectious origin, such as infection by human adenovirus-36 [Adv36]. It appears to be a new concept, evolved over the past 20 years. Visceral obesity is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Increased carotid intima-media thickness [CIMT], a marker of early-onset atherosclerosis, has been observed in obese children and adolescents. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between visceral obesity, CIMT, and Adv36 in female Egyptian adolescents
Patients and methods: The present study included 90 women aged 12-15 years. It was conducted at the Medical Excellence Research Center of the National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt, during the period between September 2016 and November 2017. Anthropometric assessment was done. Fasting blood samples were withdrawn for the measurement of Qualitative Human Adv36 antibody using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fasting plasma glucose was determined calorimetrically, by the glucose oxidase method and insulin level using the solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and lipid profile. Visceral obesity was measured by an abdominal ultrasound. CIMT for both carotid arteries were measured by high-resolution echo Doppler
Results: Girls with visceral obesity [n=26] had higher frequency of increased CIMT at left [96.2 vs. 75%], right carotid artery [84.6 vs. 73.4%] and Adv36 sero-positive antibody [69.2 vs. 56.2%] than among those without visceral obesity [n=64]. Among the total samples, visceral obesity had significant positive correlations with BMI, waist and hip circumference, while it had insignificant correlations with age, blood pressure [BP], CIMT at right and left carotid arteries, adenovirus and laboratory findings. CIMT had a significant positive correlation with each other, insulin resistance and total cholesterol, and significant negative correlations with high-density lipoprotein and waist circumference. Adv36 had significant negative correlations with BP [both systolic and diastolic] and significant positive correlation with insulin level. Adv36 and CIMT had insignificant correlations with each other and with the anthropometric measurements, BP, visceral obesity, triglycerides, and low density lipoprotein
Conclusion: The frequency of Adv36 and increased CIMT at left carotid artery were higher among girls with visceral obesity than among those without visceral obesity. However, visceral obesity, CIMT at both right and left carotid arteries, and Adv36 had insignificant correlations with each other
ABSTRACT
Background: Familial Mediterranean fever [FMF] has episodic or subclinical inflammation that may lead to a decrease in bone mineral density [BMD]. The objective of this study was to assess BMD in Egyptian children with FMF on genetic basis
Methods: A cross sectional study included 45 FMF patients and 25 control children of both sexes in the age range between 3-16 years old. The patients were reclassified into two groups, namely group I[A] with 23 cases using colchicine for 1 month or less, and group I[B] with 22 cases using colchicine for more than 6 months. For both the patients and control groups, MEFV mutations were defined using molecular genetics technique and BMD was measured by DXA at the proximal femur and lumbar spines
Results: Four frequent gene mutations were found in the patient group E148Q [35.6%], V726A [33.3%], M680I [28.9%], and M694V [2.2%]. There were also four heterozygous gene mutations in 40% of the control children. Patients receiving colchicine treatment for less than 1 month had highly significant lower values of BMD at the femur and lumbar spines than the control children [P=0.007, P<0.001]. Patients receiving colchicine treatment for more than 6 months had improved values of BMD at femur compared with the control, but there were still significant differences between them in lumbar spine [P=0.036]. There were insignificant effect of gene mutation type on BMD and the risk of osteopenia among the patients
Conclusion: FMF had a significant effect on BMD. However, regular use of colchicine treatment improves this effect mainly at the femur