The relationship between childhood obesity with inflammatory mediators

Objectives: To determine the association of various obesity markers with systemic immune-inflammatory index. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey, from January 2018 to October 2018 and comprised children aged 6-16 years admitted to the outpatient clinic due to obesity. The patients were evaluated for height, weight, body mass index (BMI), fat percentage (F%), fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM). Waist circumference was measured and neutrophil, platelet and lymphocyte counts and neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were calculated on the basis of haemogram. Data was analysed using Number Cruncher Statistical System 2007. Results: Of the 335 subjects, 203(60.6%) were girls and 132(39.4%) were boys. Univariate analysis of girls showed the effects of BMI, F%, FM, FFM and WC on NLR. FM remained a significant and independent risk factor for NLR (p<0.01). The effects of BMI, F%, FFM and WC were not significant in multivariate model (p>0.05). Univariate analysis of girls also showed the effects of BMI, F%, FM, FFM and WC measurements on SII. F% remained a significant and independent risk factor on SII (p<0.01). The effects of BMI, fat mass, FFM and WC were not significant in multivariate model (p>0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the increase of SII, NLR and thrombocyte in terms of weight, BMI, fat percentage and fat mass supports the increase of inflammation due to the increase of fat in obesity. In terms of comorbidities in obesity, SII and NLR suggest that there may be inflammatory biomarkers which can be used in follow-up.