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Adrenomedullary response to caffeine in prepubertal and pubertal obese subjects

International Journal of Obesity volume 23, pages 992–996 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether blunted adrenomedullary responsiveness to stimuli is a primary feature of human obesity in childhood and adolescence

DESIGN: Comparison of plasma catecholamine response to caffeine in obese and lean subjects before and after puberty onset.

SUBJECTS: Twelve lean prepubertal subjects (six males and six females), 15 prepubertal obese subjects (seven males and eight females), 12 pubertal lean subjects (six males and six females) and 24 pubertal obese subjects (12 males and 12 females)

MEASUREMENTS: Plasma levels of Luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 17β-estradiol and testosterone were used to validate Tanner score. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and plasma catecholamines before and after caffeine administration (4 mg/kg of ideal body weight).

RESULTS: Caffeine administration significantly stimulated adrenaline release in all subjects studied. The incremental area of adrenaline response to caffeine, analysed by multiple comparison test, was lower in pubertal obese subjects with respect to other groups.

CONCLUSIONS: At variance with what is observed in adulthood obesity, prepubertal obese subjects show an intact adrenomedullary response to caffeine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Medicina Interna Università di Modena, Centro di Nutrizione Clinica e Malattie del Metabolismo, Italy

    M Bondi, A Velardo, MG Venneri, R Menozzi & G Del Rio

  2. Centro Auxologico di Piancavallo, Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy

    G Grugni, O Biella & F Morabito

Authors
  1. M Bondi
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  2. G Grugni
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  3. A Velardo
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  4. O Biella
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  5. MG Venneri
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  6. F Morabito
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  7. R Menozzi
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  8. G Del Rio
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G Del Rio.

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Bondi, M., Grugni, G., Velardo, A. et al. Adrenomedullary response to caffeine in prepubertal and pubertal obese subjects. Int J Obes 23, 992–996 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801031

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801031

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