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The insulin gene variable number of tandem repeats (INS VNTR) genotype and sleep disordered breathing in childhood obesity

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Abstract

Aim of our study is to verify the association between the genetic predisposition to hyperinsulinism due to the presence of the insulin gene (INS) I/I genotype and the development of sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) in obese children and adolescents. Two hundred and fifty-six obese children and adolescents (125 girls) have been investigated. As initial screening all subjects’ mothers filled out the Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children (SDSC). The Sleep-Disordered Breathing (SDB) scale has been taken into account. Successively, a subgroup of 34 patients belonging to the first (14 children) and the last (20 children) SDB score quintiles underwent an overnight polysomnography and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was evaluated. All subjects were genotyped for the INS VNTR and fasting insulin levels were evaluated. The population was divided into two groups according to the genotype: the first group was comprehensive of patients homozygotes for class I allele and the second group was composed by class III allele heterozygotes and homozygotes patients. Subjects I/I showed statistically significant higher insulin levels (p<0.001) and SDB scores (p<0.001). Moreover, in the subgroup of patients investigated with polysomnography, class I homozygous subjects showed higher AHI compared to those patients carrying class III allele (p<0.001). Our data support the hypothesis that INS VNTR is associated with the development of SDB among obese children and adolescents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via Pansini 5, 80131, Napoli, Italy

    M. Carotenuto, E. Santoro &  A. Pascotto

  2. Department of Pediatrics “Francesco Fede”, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    N. Santoro, A. Grandone, C. Pascotto, L. Perrone & E. Miraglia del Giudice

Authors
  1. M. Carotenuto
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  2. N. Santoro
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  3. A. Grandone
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  4. E. Santoro
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  5. C. Pascotto
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  6. A. Pascotto
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  7. L. Perrone
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  8. E. Miraglia del Giudice
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Pascotto.

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Carotenuto, M., Santoro, N., Grandone, A. et al. The insulin gene variable number of tandem repeats (INS VNTR) genotype and sleep disordered breathing in childhood obesity. J Endocrinol Invest 32, 752–755 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03346531

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03346531

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