Diabetes Metab J.  2014 Dec;38(6):464-471. 10.4093/dmj.2014.38.6.464.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Phenotypes of Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Adults with Down Syndrome

• Real de Asua D
• Parra P
• Costa R
• Moldenhauer F
• Suarez C

• KMID: 2174084
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2014.38.6.464

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Despite the confluence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors, subclinical atherosclerotic damage and cardiovascular events remain extremely rare in adults with Down syndrome (DS). We aim to determine the prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders in an adult cohort with DS and to compare our findings with adults without DS.
METHODS
Cross-sectional study of 51 consecutively selected adults with DS living in the community and 51 healthy controls in an outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Madrid, Spain. Epidemiological data (age and gender), anthropometric data (body mass index and waist-to-height ratio), coexisting clinical conditions, and laboratory data (fasting glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin, creatinine, thyroid hormones, vitamins, and lipid profile) were measured and compared between the groups.
RESULTS
Adults with DS were significantly younger and more often men with a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than controls. Their waist-to-height ratio was higher, and they more frequently had abdominal obesity. The results of an analysis adjusted for age and gender revealed no differences in fasting insulin levels, homeostatic model assessment indexes, or lipid profile between adults with DS and controls.
CONCLUSION
Adults with DS presented a high prevalence of overweight and obesity. However, we found no differences in lipid profile, prevalence of insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome between adults with DS and controls.

Keyword

Down syndrome; Hypothyroidism; Insulin resistance; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity, abdominal

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Ambulatory Care Facilities
Cohort Studies
Creatinine
Cross-Sectional Studies*
Down Syndrome*
Fasting
Glucose
Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated
Humans
Hypothyroidism
Insulin
Insulin Resistance*
Male
Obesity*
Obesity, Abdominal
Overweight
Phenotype*
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Spain
Tertiary Healthcare
Thyroid Hormones
Vitamins
Creatinine
Glucose
Insulin
Thyroid Hormones
Vitamins

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Distribution of thyroid disorders in the study sample. (A) Prevalence of thyroid disorders in adults with Down syndrome (n=51). (B) Prevalence of thyroid disorders in control subjects (n=51).

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