Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jun 8;36(7):643-649.
doi: 10.1515/jpem-2023-0228. Print 2023 Jul 26.

Uric acid and sCD163 as biomarkers for metabolic dysfunction and MAFLD in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity

Sofie Orry  1 , Dorthe Dalstrup Jakobsen  1   2   3 , Nickolai Malte Kristensen  1 , Jens Meldgaard Bruun  1   2   3
Affiliations

Uric acid and sCD163 as biomarkers for metabolic dysfunction and MAFLD in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity

Sofie Orry et al. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. .

Abstract

Objectives: The prevalence of childhood obesity increases globally, and noninvasive methods are needed to identify metabolic dysfunction and obesity-related complications such as pediatric metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). We investigated whether uric acid (UA) and the macrophage marker soluble form of cysteine scavenger receptor CD163 (sCD163) can be used as biomarkers for deteriorated metabolism or pediatric MAFLD in children with overweight or obesity.

Methods: Cross-sectional clinical and biochemical data from 94 children with overweight or obesity was included. Surrogate liver markers were calculated, and correlations were investigated using Pearson's or Spearman's correlation test.

Results: UA and sCD163 correlated with BMI standard deviation score (r=0.23, p<0.05; r=0.33, p<0.01) and body fat (r=0.24, p<0.05; r=0.27, p=0.01). UA correlated with triglycerides (ρ=0.21, p<0.05), fat free mass (r=0.33, p<0.01), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (r=0.39, p<0.01). sCD163 correlated with the pediatric NAFLD fibrosis score (r=0.28, p<0.01) and alanine aminotransferase (r=0.28, p<0.01). No correlation was found between UA and pediatric MAFLD.

Conclusions: UA and sCD163 was identified as markers of a deranged metabolic profile, thus acting as easily accessible biomarkers for obesity and an obesity-related deranged metabolism. Furthermore, increasing levels of sCD163 could be a useful biomarker of pediatric MAFLD. Future prospective studies are warranted.

Keywords: CD163; MAFLD; children; obesity; overweight; uric acid.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Ebbeling, CB, Pawlak, DB, Ludwig, DS. Childhood obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure. Lancet 2002;360:473–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(02)09678-2 . - DOI
    1. Cole, TJ, Lobstein, T. Extended international (IOTF) body mass index cut-offs for thinness, overweight and obesity. Pediatr Obes 2012;7:284–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2047-6310.2012.00064.x . - DOI
    1. Statens Institut for Folkesundhed, S. Overvægt og svær overvægt blandt danske børn og unge . SDU; 2020. Available from: https://www.sdu.dk/sif/-/media/images/sif/udgivelser/2020/overvaegt+og+s... .
    1. Singh, AS, Mulder, C, Twisk, JW, van Mechelen, W, Chinapaw, MJ. Tracking of childhood overweight into adulthood: a systematic review of the literature. Obes Rev 2008;9:474–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789x.2008.00475.x . - DOI
    1. Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults . Executive summary of the third report of the national cholesterol education program (NCEP) expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (adult treatment panel III). JAMA 2001;285:2486–97. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.285.19.2486 . - DOI