BNP in Pediatric Metabolic Syndrome

MetS is a syndrome characterized by a combination of diabetes, hypertension and visceral obesity, altered blood lipids, beginning in childhood, leading to chronic disease in adulthood. Adult criteria for defining MetS require a minimum of 3 risk factors, listed in the NCEP ATP III (National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III, ATP III), they are hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-C, hypertension, obesity and increased waist circumference. The pediatric definitions are described mainly by Cooks, Zimmet and de Ferranti are as well based on the presence of ≥ 3 symptoms: obesity (BMI) , waist circumference, glucose intolerance, dyslipidaemia (high triglycerides and/or low HDL-C), High BP. Pediatric criteria of MetS are not univocally defined and symptoms may be fluctuant in adolescent period, therefore the prevalence ranges from 4.2%13 to 9.2%. A number of re