The Role of Urotensin‐II in Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Pediatric Population

Abstract

Background: Urotensin‐II (U‐II) is a short cyclic peptide that is widely recognized as one of the most potent vasoconstrictors. U‐II plays a role in the pathophysiology of MS, participating in the development of essential hypertension, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and a proinflamma-tory state. Methods: This study comprised 52 obese children and adolescents with a body mass index (BMI) z score > 2, aged 10 to 18 years. Serum levels of U‐II were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay along with other standard biochemical parameters. Results: Elevated serum levels of U‐II were recorded in the group of obese subjects with MS when compared with the group of obese subjects without MS (4.99 (8.97–3.16) vs. 4.17 (5.17–2.03) ng/mL, median and IQR, p = 0.026). Furthermore, a subgroup of study subjects with high blood pressure had significantly higher U‐II levels in comparison with the normotensive subgroup (4.98 (7.19–3.22) vs. 3.32 (5.06– 1.97) ng/mL, p = 0.027), while the subgroup with a positive family history of high blood pressure had significantly higher U‐II levels when compared with subjects who had a negative family history of elevated blood pressure (5.06 (6.83–4.45) vs. 3.32 (6.13–2.21) ng/mL, p = 0.039). Conclusions: To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study on the levels of U‐II in obese children and adolescents, including a possible link to MS.