Louise Cominato

Síndrome metabólica em crianças e adolescentes: dúvidas na terminologia, mas não nos riscos cardiometabólicos

Metabolic syndrome (MS) has been a condition involved in considerable controversy, starting with the terminology. Gerald Reaven himself, the author who proposed the term MS, advised against the use of this terminology because the definition implies in at least three metabolic alterations, and it is never clear to which group of alterations we are referring to when we say that a patient has MS. In children, the problem is even more complicated, since there are many different adaptations to the criteria used in adults. On the other hand, independent of the terminology, cardiovascular risks are well-established and it is very clear that even children may present metabolic disturbances which predict future metabolic problems. The role of the pediatric endocrinologist or the general pediatrician is to investigate, especially in overweight/obese children, conditions that if treated early, may prevent future complications that today, unfortunately, are being diagnosed only in adult life. In this review, we discuss problems on the definition, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and complications of MS in children and adolescents.

Menstrual Cycle Recovery in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa: The Importance of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1

Background: Follow-up visits of patients recovering from anorexia nervosa (AN) have shown that some patients do not resume menstrual cycles despite returning to the normal weight for their age and height. Aim: To verify whether leptin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) or another hormonal marker could be a good predictor of the return of menses. Patients and Methods: This prospective study included female adolescents diagnosed with AN or eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and who were being treated in an ambulatory care unit during nutritional recovery. Body mass index and leptin, luteinizing hormone, estradiol and IGF-1 levels of these patients were evaluated. Blood samples were collected in the 1st (T1), 5th (T2), 10th (T3), 15th (T4) and 20th (T5) weeks of treatment. The hormone levels during nutritional recovery and at the time of the resumption of menses were analyzed. Results: The hormonal profiles improved after nutritional recovery, with IGF-1 correlating the most with the resumption of menses and nutritional recovery (p = 0.0001). At the resumption of menstruation, the patients showed IGF-1 levels >342.8 ng/ml. Conclusion: IGF-1 was the best predictor of the return of menses in female adolescents with AN or EDNOS.

O efeito da sibutramina na perda de peso de adolescentes obesos

Objective : To evaluate the effect of sibutramine on weight loss in obese adolescents.Subjetcs and methods A double-blind controlled study lasting 13 months. The study included 73 obese adolescents of both sexes aged between 10 and 18 years. Laboratory tests and imaging studies were performed before, during wash-out, and at the end of 13 months.Results : The percentage of patients who lost 10% of their initial weight in the placebo group was 46%, and in the sibutramine group was 75%. When placebo was used, average weight rose by 1.61 kg, and BMI decreased by 0.24 kg/m2 whereas with the use of sibutramine, weight decreased by 4.47 kg, and average BMI decreased, 2.38 kg/m2, with p < 0.001.Conclusions : Sibutramine induced significantly more weight loss in obese adolescents compared with placebo, without significant side effects. The weight loss curve was different depending on the moment sibutramine was introduced. This finding indicates that the best time to start sibutramine is when adhesion begins to fail. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2014;58(3):243-50

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome among Obese Adolescents

Abstract Background and aims: In adolescence and obesity, the pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is very difficult to distinguish. We aimed to assess the diagnosis of PCOS in the population of obese adolescent. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Pediatric Endocrinology Weight and Management Clinic from Childrens Institute, São Paulo, Brazil. Participants: Forty-nine post-menarcheal obese adolescents with mean age of 14.7 years. Interventions: Anthropometric assessment and review of medical records were done. Clinical and laboratory hyperandrogenism were quantified using Ferriman–Gallwey index and androgenic dosages, respectively. Ovarian morphology was evaluated through suprapubic ultrasonography. Results: By the 2015 Witchel et al. guideline for PCOS in adolescence, 18.4% were diagnosed as having PCOS. When assessed by Rotterdam, Androgen Excess and PCOS Society, and American National Institute of Health criterias, 26.4%, 22.4%, and 20.4% had PCOS, respectively. Irregular menstrual cycles were found in 65.3% of patients. Clinical hyperandrogenism was observed in 16.3% of girls and 18.4% had elevated serum androgen values. Suprapubic ultrasonography revealed enlarged ovaries in 18.4% of the adolescents. Conclusions: PCOS in all-comers obese adolescents from a Weight and Management Clinic in a quaternary hospital is more frequent when compared to adult women showed in the literature.

Obesity Prevention: Strategies and Challenges in Latin America

Purpose of ReviewThe purpose of this study is to present changes of policies and norms aimed to reduce obesity levels that have been adopted in some Latin American countries.Recent FindingsThe global increase of the excess weight within the population has been demanding governmental actions aimed at preventing health impacts generated by obesity. Over recent years, many Latin American countries have established a number of regulations aimed at reducing weight in the population using interventions that could effectively prevent childhood obesity, including the taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), increasing physical activity in open spaces, and, especially, front-of-package labeling.SummarySome strategies are part of the Action Plan for Prevention of Child and Adolescence Obesity signed by all countries in Latin America, which currently have among the highest prevalence of childhood obesity in the world. Among them are the implementation of fiscal policies on energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods and taxes on SSBs; improvements in nutrition labeling, highlighting the front-of-package (FOP) labeling to promote the choice of healthier products at the time of purchase; and promotion of an active lifestyle, such as encouraging the use of bicycle paths or physical activity programs at school. The real impact of these prevention strategies implemented in Latin America on the prevalence of obesity is still unknown.

Diabetes mellitus in childhood: an emerging condition in the 21st century

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF-2015) estimates the existence of 30,900 children under 15 years old with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) in Brazil, and an increase of 3.0% per year is expected. This review focused on meta-analysis and pediatric diabetes update articles in order to draw attention to the need of planning coping strategies to support this serious public health problem in coming years. DM1 is considered an immuno-mediated disease with a complex transmission influenced by genetic and environmental factors responsible for a gradual destruction of the insulin producing pancreatic beta cells. Seroconversion to DM1-associated autoantibodies and abnormalities in metabolic tests that assess insulin secretion and glucose tolerance can be used as predictive criteria of beta cells functional reserve and the onset of the clinical disease. Symptomatic DM1 treatment is complex and the maintenance of good metabolic control is still the only effective strategy for preserving beta cell function. Disease duration and hyperglycemia are both risk factors for the onset of chronic vascular complications that negatively affect the quality of life and survival of these patients. In this regard, health teams must be trained to provide the best possible information on pediatric diabetes, through continuing education programs focused on enabling these young people and their families to diabetes self-management.

Avaliação da densidade mineral óssea em adolescentes do sexo feminino com transtorno alimentar

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in girls with eating disorders in the beginning of the treatment, at six months, and after one year of treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This prospective study involved 35 female adolescents with AN or EDNOS treated during one year. Lumbar (L1-L4) bone mineral density by DXA was performed in the beginning of treatment, at six months, and after one year of treatment. RESULTS: There was improvement in weight, length, BMI, bone age (p < 0.001), and 70% of the adolescents with secondary amenorrhea had their menstrual cycles restored. However, the Z-score of lumbar BMD did not show differences during one year of follow-up (p = 0.76). CONCLUSION: The recovery of BMD does not occur together with the restoration of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.