Biomarkers ; blood ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Prader-Willi Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; therapy

PURPOSE: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by childhood-onset obesity and endocrine dysfunction that leads to cardiovascular disability. The objective of the study is to assess the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and atherosclerotic risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven PWS children and 24 normal controls were enrolled. Correlations of IMT with atherosclerotic risk factors were assessed. RESULTS: IMTs in the PWS group did not differ from those in the controls (p = 0.172), although total ghrelin levels were higher in the PWS children (p = 0.003). The multivariate analysis revealed positive correlations between total ghrelin levels (rho = 0.489, p = 0.046) and IMT in the PWS group and between body mass index-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) (rho = 0.697, p = 0.005) and IMT in the controls. CONCLUSION: Considering the positive correlation of IMT with total ghrelin levels and the high level of ghrelin in PWS children, a further study is warranted to evaluate the role of elevated ghrelin on atherosclerosis for PWS.
Adolescent ; Carotid Arteries/*pathology ; Child ; Female ; Ghrelin/*blood ; Humans ; Male ; Prader-Willi Syndrome/*blood/*pathology ; Tunica Intima/*pathology ; Tunica Media/*pathology