OBJECTIVETo observe the relationship of childhood benign acanthosis nigricans to anthropometric and metabolic indexes, with the aim of studying the association between childhood benign acanthosis nigricans and metabolic diseases.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 29 children who presented with benign acanthosis nigricans between February 2007 and October 2011. Thirty-two age, sex- and ethnic-matched normal children were selected as control group. The two groups were compared according to obesity (body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat content and body fat percentage) and metabolic indexes (blood glucose, insulin level and blood lipids).

RESULTSBody mass index, body fat content, body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting blood glucose, insulin level and triglyceride in the 29 patients with benign acanthosis nigricans were higher than in the control group (P<0.05), but the level of high-density lipoprotein in the 29 patients was lower than in the control group (P<0.05). Of the 29 patients, 16 had impaired glucose tolerance and 3 were diagnosed with diabetes (1 case with type 1, two cases with type 2).

CONCLUSIONSChildhood benign acanthosis nigricans is closely associated with obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.