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Obesity is linked to the increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), even among the pediatric population. Some inflammatory and cardioembolic indexes derived from routine laboratory tests have captivated the attention of the medical community. Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate whether these markers are effective in distinguishing varying degrees of obesity and MetS in children and adolescents. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study. A total of 71 children and adolescents, aged between 6 and 16, were included in the study. Among them, 5 were overweight, 35 had obesity, and 31 had severe obesity. According to the NCEP ATP III criteria, 32 individuals had Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), while 39 did not have MetS. Results: The MetS positive group had higher values of TG/HDL-C (p < 0.001), TC/HDL-C (p < 0.001), MHR (p = 0.015), LHR (p = 0.001), NHR (p = 0.001), atherogenic index of plasma (p < 0.001), and PHR (p < 0.001). ESR, NLR, PLR, and SII did not progressively increase with the number of MetS criteria. The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that markers such as TG/HDL-C, the atherogenic index of plasma, TC/HDL-C, LHR, NHR, and PHR were effective in identifying MetS in children and adolescents with obesity. Conclusions: In conclusion, we determined that some novel inflammatory and cardioembolic indexes are useful in assessing MetS and obesity in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcoholism presents a significant health concern with notable socioeconomic implications. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) can manifest when individuals cease or drastically reduce their alcohol consumption after prolonged use. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by substantial lipid accumulation in the liver cells of individuals with no history of alcohol consumption. There is evidence suggesting an association between cognitive impairment and both conditions. This study aimed to evaluate cognitive impairment in patients with NAFLD and AWS using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). This study involved 120 patients admitted to two hospitals in Craiova, Romania. Results indicated that patients with NAFLD did not exhibit cognitive impairment as measured by MMSE (Mean = 29.27, SD = 0.785). Conversely, patients with AWS showed more pronounced cognitive dysfunction, with a mean MMSE score at admission of 16.60 ± 4.097 and 24.60 ± 2.832 after 2 weeks under treatment with Vitamins B1 and B6 and Cerebrolysin. Additionally, our findings suggested that cognitive dysfunction among alcohol consumers was correlated with the severity of clinical symptoms, as demonstrated by the severity of tremors in our study. The two-week period under treatment and alcohol withdrawal was insufficient for cognitive function to return to normal levels. Observational studies on longer periods of time are advised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nutritional status of children is always a concern for medical professionals. Increasingly, obesogenic factors have created a new global epidemic. Obesity is characterized by persistent inflammation, which can have detrimental effects on the growth and development of children. Iron and ferritin are both important factors to consider when evaluating these children due to their role in the pathophysiology of chronic inflammation. Recently, ultrasonographic evaluation seems to be an increasingly used method in pediatric clinical practice. In this study, we included 98 children aged 6–14 years, 72 of whom were obese and 26 had normal weight. The data obtained indicated that there was an association between low iron and increased ferritin levels, aspects of non-alcoholic fatty liver visualized by ultrasonography, and the degree of fibrosis assessed elastographically. Ultrasonography can help us identify liver damage, but the possibility of identifying an association with other paraclinical investigations such as iron and ferritin levels can be cumulative. In this way, the assessment can be more complex, as the child benefits from comprehensive evaluation and management. The results drew attention to non-invasive, easy-to-perform, and low-cost methods of assessing obese children in terms of iron metabolism and structural liver changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a complex chronic condition, which in the absence of screening–monitoring markers and effective standardized treatment is one of the most important issues in pediatric pathology. In this study, we analyzed the role of vitamin D supplementation in obese children with/without NAFLD and the impact on the components of the associated metabolic syndrome (MS). The study included 22 children with simple obesity (SO) and 50 with NAFLD, aged between 6 and 14 years, who received regimen-based therapy or vitamin D supplementation in case of deficiency. Anthropometric and paraclinical data associated with MS were statistically compared before and after treatment. It was observed that there was a statistical association of NAFLD with MS components, which were present both in SO and in the 6–9 years group. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with the presence of obesity, NAFLD and MS components, and correction of the deficiency induced a tendency to normalize the associated parameters. In the case of a treatment strictly based on the regimen, we found decreases in vitamin D values and additional alteration of some parameters. Supplementation with vitamin D potentiates the effects of the specific regimen, and the effects seem to be dependent on the MS components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]