Serum chemerin in children with excess body weight may be associated with ongoing metabolic complications - A pilot study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to verify if serum chemerin in children correlates with body weight, fat mass, selected inflammatory markers, parameters of liver function, lipid and glucose metabolism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included children aged 5-17 years with normal body weight (<85th BMI percentile, n=43) or overweight (≥85th BMI percentile, n=58). Serum concentrations of chemerin were determined with ELISA.

RESULTS: Children with excess body weight presented with significantly higher serum concentrations of chemerin. Serum chemerin correlated positively with body weight, absolute BMI and its percentile, fat mass, systolic blood pressure, CRP, ALT, insulin and HOMA-IR.

CONCLUSIONS: Serum level of chemerin may serve as a measure of ongoing obesity-related inflammation, early marker of subclinical liver dysfunction and metabolic syndrome in overweight pediatric patients.