Ability of TyG Index as a Marker of Insulin Resistance in Argentinean School Children.

Objective: To determine if the triglycerides and glucose index (TyG) can be used as a marker for insulin resistance (IR) in Argentinean schoolchildren according to age and sex. Methods: Anthropometric data, blood glucose levels, lipid profiles, and insulin levels were measured. The TyG index was defined by Ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dL)* fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2]. A comparison of the ability of TyG to identify children with IR was performed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the ROC (AUROC) curve. IR was defined as HOMA-IR > III quartile. Results: A total of 915 (528, 57.7% males) apparently healthy schoolchildren, aged 9.3 ± 2.2, were evaluated. The AUROC using the HOMA-IR > III quartile as the dichotomous variable showed that TyG was a fair marker to identify IR (0.65, 95% CI, 0.61-0.69; p < 0.01). There was a significantly higher TyG AUROC in males (0.69, 95% CI, 0.63-0.75; p < 001) than in females (0.60, 95% CI, 0.54-0.66; p < 0.01). When children were divided according to age into two groups (5.0-9.9 and 10.0-14.9-year-olds); younger children (0.64, 95% CI, 0.58-0.69; p < 0.011) and older children (0.62, 95% CI, 0.55-0.68; p = 0.01) had a similar and fair AUROC. However, when children were divided by age and sex, females older than ten had a non-significant AUROC (0.53, 95% CI, 0.42-0.63; p = 0.61). The TyG index compared with HOMA-IR had low sensitivity and specificity, ranging from 0.62 to 0.56. Conclusion: The TyG index had a fair AUROC with low sensitivity and specificity, indicating poor discrimination in identifying IR in apparently healthy Argentinean children. The ability to use TyG for screening purposes seems limited in Argentinean schoolchildren.

Influence of Telemedicine on the Number of Visits and HbA1c Determinations in Latin American Children with Type 1 Diabetes.

Objective: To measure the changes in the number of medical visits and the number of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) determinations according to telemedicine access in children with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) during the pandemic 2020 compared with 2019 and 2018. Methods: This is a multinational study of children with T1DM from four Latin American countries. The number of medical visits, the number of HbA1c determinations, and access to telemedicine during 2020 were extracted from their records. Results: Two hundred twenty-seven children (59% females) aged 12.7 ± 3.2 years with a duration of 5.4 ± 2.7 years of T1DM in 2018 were evaluated. There was a higher prevalence of children with telemedicine access in the pandemic 2020 versus those without [145 (63.9%) vs. 82 (36.1%); P < 0.01]. There was a higher number of medical visits during 2020 in children with telemedicine access versus those without (6.9 vs. 2.6; P < 0.01). Children with telemedicine access had a higher number of visits in 2020 versus 2018 (6.87 vs. 5.04, P < 0.01), but similar to 2019. Children without access had a lower number of visits in 2020 versus 2019 (2.6 vs. 5.5; P < 0.01) and versus 2018 (2.6 vs. 5.1; P < 0.01). In 2020, the number of HbA1c determinations in children with telemedicine access was higher versus those without (1.8 vs. 0.9; P < 0.01). Children with telemedicine access had a lower number of HbA1c determinations in 2020 versus 2019 (1.8 vs. 2.4; P < 0.01), but similar to 2018. Furthermore, children without access had a lower number of HbA1c determinations in 2020 versus 2019 (0.9 vs. 1.9; P < 0.01) and versus 2018 (0.9 vs. 2.0; P < 0.01). Conclusions: We found that children with T1DM with telemedicine access had a significantly higher number of medical visits and HbA1c determinations during lockdown than those without access in different Latin American centers.

Asociación del peso al nacer con adiposidad en niños escolares de distintas regiones de argentina / Association of birth weight with adiposity in school children from different regions of argentina

Introducción: diversos estudios han sugerido que el bajo y alto peso al nacer (PN) se asocian a obesidad (OB) y sobrepeso (SP) durante la infancia y la edad adulta. Objetivos: determinar la asociación entre PN y OB en escolares de 9 años de tres regiones de Argentina. Materiales y métodos: las medidas antropométricas y la presión arterial (PA) se tomaron en 1.131 escolares (505 masculinos) de 8,8±2,1 años de edad promedio, en tres regiones de Argentina durante el año 2019. Se interrogó, además, acerca del peso al nacer y el estilo de vida. Resultados: el 21,1% (239) de los niños presentaba SP (IMC>85 <95 percentilo según CDC) y el 21,8% (246) OB (IMC>95 percentilo). La prevalencia de PN bajo (<2.500 g) fue de fue de 6,2% (n=70) y de PN alto (>4.000 g) de 7,3% (n=82). El puntaje z-IMC de los niños de 9 años aumentaba significativamente con el aumento del PN: PN bajo (z-IMC=0,33), normal (z-IMC=0,72) y alto (z-IMC=1,12). En modelos de regresión logística múltiple se observó que el PN bajo se asoció inversamente a la OB (OR, 0.41 [IC del 95%: 0,19-0,92]), mientras que el PN alto se asoció directamente con la OB ajustado por edad y sexo (OR, 2.48 [95% IC 1,53-4,02]). Conclusiones: nuestros datos indican que el alto PN, pero no el bajo PN, se asocia con OB en niños en edad escolar de 9 años, mientras que el bajo PN está inversamente asociado con OB.

Introduction: several studies have suggested that low and high birth weight are associated with obesity (OB) and overweight (OW) during childhood and adulthood. Objectives: to determine the association between birth weight and OB in 9-year-old schoolchildren from three areas of Argentina. Materials and methods: anthropometric measurements and blood pressure (BP) were taken in 1.131 schoolchildren (505 males) of an average age of 8.8±2.1 years in three areas of Argentina during 2019. Mothers were asked about their children's birth weight and lifestyle. Results: 21.1% (239) of the children had OW (BMI>85 <95 percentile according to the CDC) and 21.8% (246) OB (BMI>95 percentile). The prevalence of low birth weight (<2.500 g) was 6.2% (n=70) and of high birth weight (>4.000 g) was 7.3% (n=82). The 9-year-old z-BMI score increased significantly with increasing birth weight: low birth weight (z-BMI=0.33), normal (z-BMI=0.72) and high (z-BMI=1.12). In multiple logistic regression models, it was found that low birth weight was inversely associated with OB (OR, 0.41 [95% CI: 0.19-0.92]), while high birth weight was directly associated with OB adjusted for age and sex (OR, 2.48 [95% CI 1.53-4.02]). Conclusions: our data indicate that high birth weight, but not low birth weight, is associated with OB in 9-year-old schoolchildren, while low birth weight is inversely associated with OB