Epicardial adipose tissue and signs of metabolic syndrome in children.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible correlation between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness and predictive parameters for metabolic syndrome (MS) in overweight/obese prepubertal children.

Methods: 73 prepubertal children, average age of 8.22 years, with no endocrine or syndromic causes of obesity or under drug therapy for chronic disease were enrolled.

Coeliac disease screening among a large cohort of overweight/obese children.

Coeliac disease (CD) is a chronic, gluten-dependent enteropathy with a prevalence of approximately 1% in Western countries. Up to now, CD has been described only in sporadic cases of obesity. Our study aimed to evaluate retrospectively CD prevalence in a large series of overweight/obese children and adolescents.