Relationship of high sensitivity c-reactive protein level to Anthropometric parameters in obese children in a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh

Background: Obesity is an exaggeration of normal adiposity. Adipose tissue contributes to the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines include interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), which stimulate hs-C-reactive protein (CRP) production by the liver. Hs-CRP is a marker of inflammation and early determination may help to predict the future metabolic and cardiovascular complication associated with obesity. Objective: To study therelationship of hs –CRP levels with various anthropometric parameters in children with obesity. Methods: This cross sectional study conducted at department of Paediatrics of BSMMU, Dhaka over a period of 12 months (September 2018 to August 2019). Total 110 obese children aged between 10 to 18 years with BMI ≥ 95th centile according to CDC growth chart were selected in this study after considering exclusion and inclusion criteria. Age and sex matched 55 non-obese children (normal weight children) with BMI ≥ 5th to < 85th centile were also included in this study. A structured questionnaire was prepared for each participant taken into account demographic and clinical parameters. Levels of hs-CRP were estimated in 110 obese and 55 non-obese children. These levels were then correlated to various anthropometric parameters (body mass index, BMI; waist circumference, WC; hip circumference, HC;waist hip ratio, WHR; waist height ratio, WHtR). Results: Hs-CRP Level was raised in 46.4% of children in obese group than non-obese group (10.9%). Mean hs-CRP Level was significantly higher in obese group than non- obese group (2.81 ± 2.62mg/L vs 0.922 ± 0.852mg/L).Among the obese group, about 58% was grade I obese and 42% was grade II obese (Severe obese). About 67% of grade II obese had hs-CRP level ≥ 2mg/L in comparison to grade I obese (31.3%). Mean body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC),waist-hip ratio (WHR),waist-height ratio (WHtR) were significantly higher in the obese group than in the non-obese group. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, waist-height ratio were positively correlated with raised hs-CRP level in obese group. Conclusion: Levels of hs-CRP were significantly elevated in obese children as compared to non-obese children. Hs-CRP level was raised significantly in grade II obese children. Raised hs-CRP level in obese children was positively correlated with BMI, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and waist-height ratio.