Background: Nitric oxide (NO) is an important mediator involved in vascular homeostasis. Changes in NO level are considered to be associated with obesity and its clinical consequences. Previous studies on NO levels in obese children provided inconclusive results, so this issue requires clarification.
Objectives: One of the main goals of this study was to assess whether childhood excessive body weight (EBW) is associated with changes in serum NO level and whether features like age and gender are linked to NO levels in selected groups.
Material and methods: In the present study, the serum NO levels were compared in 43 children with EBW and 37 ageand gender-matched children with normal weight. Moreover, in both groups, body measurements and various clinical parameters, including the serum concentrations of arginine (Arg), a precursor of NO, were determined.
Results: The mean serum NO level in EBW group (8.7 ±3.1 μmol/L) was significantly lower than in normal weight group (22.2 ±11.5 μmol/L). However, the serum Arg concentrations were higher in EBW children than in controls. Serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels were higher in EBW group and inversely correlated with serum NO. The EBW female subgroup was characterized by slightly lower level of NO than the EBW male subgroup. There were no significant changes in serum NO level among different age subgroups in both groups.
Conclusions: Our results revealed that EBW in children is associated with significantly decreased level of serum NO. The decreased serum NO level in EBW children is not a result of depleted Arg in the blood. Asymmetric dimethylarginine may at least partially contribute to decreased NO levels in children with EBW. A decreased level of NO could be a potential early marker of the risk of cardiovascular disorders developing in children with EBW.
Keywords: asymmetric dimethylarginine; cardiovascular risk; children; nitric oxide; overweight.