Can Point Shear Wave Elastography be Used as an Indicator of Metabolic Complications in Overweight Children and Adolescents? Evaluation of Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue

• Main Authors: Zehra Filiz Karaman (Author), Nihal Hatipoğlu (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Galenos Publishing House, 2022-04-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2718-0875; 10.51271/jpea-2022-168
• Keywords: obesity; adipose tissue; childhood; shear wave elastography; Pediatrics; RJ1-570
• Source: The Journal of Pediatric Academy, Vol 3, Iss 1, Pp 20-25 (2022)

This study aims to search the association of obesity, metabolic parameters, and abdominal subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT) stiffness in children and adolescents using ultrasound point shear wave elastography (p-SWE). One hundred and forty overweight or obese children referred to as overweight were included in the study group. Thirty-two lean children, referred to as leans, were included in the control group. In all individuals, scWAT shear wave speed (SWS) was measured with p-SWE. ScWAT stiffness was compared between the two groups. The association of anthropometric, metabolic factors and scWAT stiffness is determined. Weight, body mass index, body mass index-standard deviation score, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, alanine aminotransferase, fasting insulin were significantly higher in the overweight group (p<0,05). ScWAT SWS was significantly different between the groups (p=0.006) The median value of scWAT SWS was 1,5 m/s (range; 0.9-3.8), 1.23 m/s (range; 0.7-3.1) for leans and overweight, respectively. In leans, no significant difference was found between boys and girls for scWAT SWS (p=0.094). In overweight, a significant difference was found for scWAT SWS between boys and girls (p=0.022). The scWAT stiffness is lower in overweight than leans. Gender has a pivotal role in scWAT stiffness. If supported with future long-time follow-up studies, p-SWE may be compatible with assessing subcutaneous adipose tissue changes related to obesity and metabolic complications in childhood and adolescence.