OBJECTIVEObesity is an important risk factor of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Adipocyte is a cell that can actively secrete a series of factors to regulate the pathway responsible for energy balance. Resistin is one of these factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible correlation between resistin and certain parameters, including body parameters and other parameters of glucose metabolism and roles of resistin in hyperinsulinemia or insulin resistance in obese children.

METHODSThe serum resistin concentration was measured in 34 obese children (18 boys, 16 girls; age 8.9-15.9 years) and 31 normal subjects (16 boys, 15 girls; age 7.8-14.5 years) by using ELISA. Anthropometric parameters, fasting glucose and insulin were measured in all subjects. Insulin resistance was assayed by homeostasis model assessment ratio (HOMA-R). Beta cell function was determined by using homeostasis model assessment beta cell (HOMA-beta). Correlation analysis was performed between resistin and other parameters.

RESULTS(1) The serum resistin concentration (common logarithmic transformation) was 3.1 +/- 0.5 in obese subjects and 2.7 +/- 0.8 in normal subjects. (P < 0.05). (2) The serum resistin concentration was not significantly correlated with sex, age, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, but was positively correlated with BMI, percent body fat (BF%), waist-hip ratio (WHR) (r = 0.299, r = 0.304, r = 0.322, P < 0.01); and positively correlated with fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-R (r = 0.299, r = 0.303, r = 0.324, P < 0.05), but not significantly correlated with HOMA-beta. (3) Multiple linear regression analysis showed that only HOMA-R was the factor that significantly influenced resistin, R(2) = 0.105, the standard partial coefficient was 0.279 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe serum resistin concentration in obese children were higher than that in normal children. The serum resistin concentration significantly correlated with the degree of obesity and the distribution of fat. Resistin is probably related to occurrence of hyperinsulinemia and/or insulin resistance in obese children.