The association of adolescent obesity with elevation of ESR: Which comes first?

Background

Obesity has become a global epidemic. Several studies suggest that adipose tissue is not only an inert energy store but also an endocrine organ that communicates with the central nervous system.

Objective

To assess the association between erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and body mass index (BMI), age, presence of complications such as diabetes and fatty liver disease, and weight loss.

Methods

Fifty patients visited AL-Kindy specialized endocrinology outpatient clinic for obesity assessment. Patients were followed up for three months, and their baseline characteristics were analyzed using Student's t-test and chi-square test; p values <0.005 were considered significant.

Results

The highest ESR values were observed in the age group of 10–14 years (mean ESR: 56.4 mm/h), followed by the 15–19 year group (mean ESR: 51.7 mm/h). The mean ESR in male patients was significantly higher than that in female patients (53.09 mm/h vs. 25.71 mm/h). Approximately 80 % of the patients with fatty liver disease had a high ESR. The patients were prescribed a calorie-restricted diet for three months; the mean BMI at the end of the study was 31.25 ± 1.21 kg/m², and the mean ESR was 20.32 ± 30.2 mm/h compared with the baseline ESR of 35.8 ± 42.5 mm/h.

Conclusion

The study findings indicate that a higher BMI is associated with higher ESR levels. The highest ESR values were observed in the age group of 10–14 years (mean 56.4 mm/h), suggesting that systemic inflammation may precede or accelerate the development of obesity during adolescence.