DDW 2013：肥胖儿童的VOC浓度较高

　　克利夫兰儿童医院的Naim Alkhouri博士在消化疾病周(DDW)会前新闻发布会上报告了一项对照研究的结果：与非肥胖儿童相比，肥胖儿童的呼气挥发性有机物(VOC)浓度明显更高。

　　这一发现或许有助于我们更深入地理解指向儿童期肥胖的病理生理学过程和路径。利用这些“呼吸印迹”，我们还有可能找到新的儿童期肥胖干预手段。

　　针对60名肥胖儿童和55名体瘦对照儿童的质谱分析结果表明，二者在超过50种VOC的浓度方面都存在差异。根据其中4种离子的峰浓度，即可识别出92%的超重/肥胖儿童。

　　进一步分析显示，在校正年龄、身高和种族之后，这4种VOC的浓度仍然是肥胖儿童显著高于非肥胖儿童：呼气异戊二烯(11.6 vs. 6.2 ppb)、1-辛烯(7.7 vs. 4.6 ppb)、氨(67.4 vs. 50.1 ppb)，以及硫化氢(0.49 vs. 0.35 ppb)。

　　本项研究的超重和肥胖受试儿童是一家预防心脏病和代谢病的儿童医院的患者，健康对照者则是在一家综合性儿童医院接受体检的健康儿童。所有受试者均接受了单次呼气样本采集，采用的是选择性离子流量测定管-质谱分析法。肥胖组儿童的年龄(平均14.1 vs. 12.1岁)、身高(平均164.9 vs. 153.3 cm)和白人比例(60% vs. 35.2%)显著大于体瘦组儿童。

　　Alkhouri博士指出：“据我们估计，17%的美国儿童属于肥胖范畴，32%属于超重。这些儿童面临较高的疾病风险，包括糖尿病、阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停、非酒精性脂肪性肝病和心血管疾病等。我们认为，‘呼吸印迹’将有助于找出儿童期肥胖的病因和并发症，以及探索更简单易行的肥胖相关并发症筛查方法。”

Exhaled VOC concentrations provide childhood obesity clues
Concentrations of certain exhaled volatile organic compounds are significantly higher in obese children than in nonobese children, according to findings from a controlled study involving more than 100 children.
The findings could lead to improved understanding of the pathophysiologic processes and pathways leading to childhood obesity, according to Dr. Naim Alkhouri of Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.
These "breath prints" also could lead to interventions for childhood obesity, Dr. Alkhouri said at a press briefing held in advance of the annual Digestive Disease Week, where the data will be presented.
Mass spectrometry in 60 obese children and 55 lean controls demonstrated differences in the concentrations of more than 50 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Four ion peaks were shown to identify overweight/obese subjects with 92% accuracy, he said...