Effects of metformin administration on endocrine-metabolic parameters, visceral adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors in children with obesity and risk markers for metabolic syndrome: A pilot study.

Background: Metformin treatment (1000-2000 mg/day) over 6 months in pubertal children and/or adolescents with obesity and hyperinsulinism is associated with a reduction in body mass index (BMI) and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). We aimed to ascertain if long-term treatment (24 months) with lower doses of metformin (850 mg/day) normalizes the endocrine-metabolic abnormalities, improves body composition, and reduces the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in pre-puberal and early pubertal children with obesity.

Methods: A pilot double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 18 pre-puberal and early pubertal (Tanner stage I-II) children with obesity and risk markers for metabolic syndrome.

Circulating IGF-1 Independently Predicts Blood Pressure in Children With Higher Calcium-Phosphorus Product Levels.

Objective: To study the association between insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and blood pressure in children, in particular, the potential interaction with the serum calcium-phosphorus product (Ca*P).

Methods: A longitudinal study included 521 children (age 8.8 ± 0.