Comparison of energy expenditure, body composition, metabolic disorders, and energy intake between obese children with a history of craniopharyngioma and children with multifactorial obesity.

Craniopharyngioma is a histologically benign brain malformation with a fundamental role in satiety modulation, causing obesity in up to 52% of patients.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate cardiovascular risk factors, body composition, resting energy expenditure (REE), and energy intake in craniopharyngioma patients and to compare the data with those from children with multifactorial obesity.

METHODS

All obese children and adolescents who underwent craniopharyngioma resection and a control group of children with multifactorial obesity in follow-up between May 2012 and April 2013.

METHODS

Anthropometric measurements, bioelectrical impedance, indirect calorimetry, energy intake, homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and dyslipidemia were evaluated.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients with craniopharyngioma and 43 controls were included. Children with craniopharyngioma-related obesity had a lower fat-free mass percentage (62.4 vs. 67.5; p=0.01) and a higher fat mass percentage (37.5 vs. 32.5; p=0.01) compared to those with multifactorial obesity. A positive association was found between %REE and %fat-free mass in subjects with multifactorial obesity (68±1% in normal REE vs. 62.6±1% in low REE; p=0.04), but not in craniopharyngioma patients (62±2.7 in normal REE vs. 61.2±1.8% in low REE; p=0.8). No differences were found in metabolic involvement or energy intake.

CONCLUSIONS

REE was lower in craniopharyngioma patients compared to children with multifactorial obesity regardless of the amount of fat-free mass, suggesting that other factors may be responsible for the lower REE.