Infectobesity’ in Egyptian adolescent women and its relations to carotid intima-media thickness

Background ‘Infectobesity’ is a new term to describe obesity of infectious origin, such as infection by human adenovirus-36 (Adv36). It appears to be a new concept, evolved over the past 20 years. Visceral obesity is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Increased carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT), a marker of early-onset atherosclerosis, has been observed in obese children and adolescents. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between visceral obesity, CIMT, and Adv36 in female Egyptian adolescents. Patients and methods The present study included 90 women aged 12–15 years. It was conducted at the Medical Excellence Research Center of the National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt, during the period between September 2016 and November 2017. Anthropometric assessment was done. Fasting blood samples were withdrawnforthe measurement of Qualitative Human Adv36 antibody using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Fastingplasmaglucosewasdetermined calorimetrically,bytheglucoseoxidase method and insulin level using the solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and lipid profile. Visceral obesity was measured by an abdominal ultrasound. CIMT for both carotid arteries were measured by high-resolution echo Doppler. Results Girls with visceral obesity (n=26) had higher frequency of increased CIMT at left (96.2 vs. 75%), right carotid artery (84.6 vs. 73.4%) and Adv36 sero-positive antibody (69.2 vs. 56.2%) than among those without visceral obesity (n=64). Among the total samples, visceral obesity had significant positive correlations with BMI, waist and hip circumference, while it had insignificant correlations with age, blood pressure (BP), CIMT at right and left carotid arteries, adenovirus and laboratory findings. CIMT had a significant positive correlation with each other, insulin resistance and total cholesterol, and significant negative correlations with high-density lipoprotein and waist circumference. Adv36 had significant negative correlations with BP (both systolic and diastolic) and significant positive correlation with insulin level. Adv36 and CIMT had insignificant correlations with each other and with the anthropometric measurements, BP, visceral obesity, triglycerides, and low density lipoprotein. Conclusion The frequency of Adv36 and increased CIMT at left carotid artery were higher among girls with visceral obesity than among those without visceral obesity. However, visceral obesity, CIMT at both right a