Investigation of alterations in serum nesfatin-1, adiponectin and fibroblast growth factor 21 levels in children depending on body mass index

Obesity is a phenomenon that causes major health problems especially type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Although obesity, which is defined as an excess of body fat, often accompanies insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases, its connection with these diseases at the molecular level has not been fully elucidated. Childhood obesity is a big health issue nowadays. Complications that may occur due to obesity tend to increase morbidity and mortality in every period of lifetime. Nesfatin-1, adiponectin and fibroblast growth factor 21 were recently identified as novel peptides that are associated with obesity and play a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in adults.however, their relationship has not yet clarified, and their circulating levels in children with obesity have not been adequately studied. Consequently, the aim of this thesis is to investigate the changes in serum nesfatin-1, adiponectin and fibroblast growth factor 21 levels in children according to body mass indexes, and to determine the correlation of children's body mass index and biomarker relationships with each other, insulin resistance and other biochemical parameters according to our results. A total of 133 children, 48 normal weight (Group I), 41 overweight (Group II), and 44 obese (Group III), according to body mass indexes, whose age and gender distributions were similar, were included in this study. Anthropometric parameters, clinical and laboratory data of all subjects were collected and circulating levels of nesfatin-1, adiponectin and fibroblast growth factor 21 were measured using the ELISA method. 62.4% of the subjects were girls, 37.6% were boys, and their mean age was 11.78±1.3 (5-17). According to this, it was observed that the outpatient clinic applications of girls were ix higher, especially in adolescence. Statistically significant differences were observed in children's age, height, height SD score weight, weight SD score, BMI, FGF21, adiponectin, insulin, glucose, HOMA-IR, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and ALT values according to BMI groups (p<0,05). No statistically significant difference was observed in the children's height SD score, nesfatin-1, HDL and AST values according to BMI groups (p>0,05). In conclusion, the findings show that nesfatin-1, adiponectin and fibroblast growth factor-21 molecules have an important role in obesity-related insulin resistance. According to our study, when our results are supported by future studies, it is possible that the markers we measure can be used in the follow-up of the diagnosis and treatment of obesity and may be a drug target in the future. Keywords: Body mass index, Childhood obesity, Nesfatin-1, Adiponectin, Fibroblast growth factor-21