Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.  2015 Jun;18(2):108-114. 10.5223/pghn.2015.18.2.108.

Abdominal Subcutaneous Fat Thickness Measured by Ultrasonography Correlates with Hyperlipidemia and Steatohepatitis in Obese Children

• Lee SH
• Kim D
• Baek MY
• Tchah H
• Kim YS
• Ryoo E
• Kim YM

• KMID: 2315557
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5223/pghn.2015.18.2.108

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness measured by ultrasonography (US) and serum lipid profile and liver transaminases in obese children.
METHODS
One hundred and sixty-six children diagnosed with obesity from May 2001 to December 2013 were included in this study. Data on serum lipid profile and liver transaminases were collected from clinical records. Abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness and grade of hepatic steatosis were evaluated by US.
RESULTS
Of the 166 children, 107 were diagnosed with hepatic steatosis by US, 46 with grade I, 56 with grade II, and five children with grade III. According to the grade of hepatic steasosis, the average values of midline abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness and right flank abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness measured 2.9+/-0.8 cm and 1.9+/-0.7 cm in the normal group, 3.3+/-0.8 cm and 2.0+/-0.7 cm in grade I, 3.8+/-0.8 cm and 2.3+/-0.8 cm in grade II, and 4.1+/-0.8 cm and 2.8+/-1.4 cm in grade III, respectively. Abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness correlated with grade of hepatic steatosis (p<0.01). In addition, abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness correlated with concentration of serum lipids and liver transaminases in the age group of 12-14 years (p<0.01).
CONCLUSION
Abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness measured by US can be used as a reliable predictor of possible hyperlipidemia and steatohepatitis in children, especially during the adolescent stage.

Keyword

Child; Obesity; Ultrasonography; Abdominal subcutaneous fat; Hyperlipidemias; Steatohepatitis; Fatty liver

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Child*
Fatty Liver*
Humans
Hyperlipidemias*
Liver
Obesity
Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal*
Transaminases
Ultrasonography*
Transaminases

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Abdominal subcutaneous fat on ultrasonography image. (A) Midline abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness (about 3.9 cm) was measured transversely at the one centimeter caudal to the umbilicus level. (B) Right flank abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness (about 1.9 cm) was measured coronally at two locations of the right flank, and the average value was recorded. The image was captured when the transducer just had contact with the skin to avoid compressing the subcutaneous adipose fascia.

• 

  Fig. 2 Analysis of variance between grade of hepatic steatosis and midline abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness (MASFT), *p<0.01.

• 

  Fig. 3 Analysis of variance between grade of hepatic steatosis and right flank abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness (RFASFT), *p<0.01.

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