The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of acanthosis nigricans scales and locations in order to validate the relation of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in obese children. We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical records of obese children who visited Chosun University Hospital between January 2013 and February 2014 due to their obesity. Five anatomical sites were examined for evaluation of acanthosis nigricans. Clinical characteristics were compared according to the presence and severity of acanthosis nigricans. Among 55 children, 37 children had acanthocis nigricans. A consensus score of acanthosis nigricans was calculated by summing the scores of five locations. The diagnostic categories were: No acanthosis nigricans group, mild group, moderate group, and severe group. Elevated acanthosis nigricans total score showed strong association with elevated BMI, triglyceride, and c-peptide in all groups. Elevated acanthosis nigricans total score also showed strong association with elevated fasting insulin and HOMA-IR. We also found that the neck was the most frequent location of acanthosis nigricans. However, acanthosis nigricans on axilla showed strong association with elevated fasting insulin and HOMA-IR. Estimation of scales and locations of acanthosis nigricans could be useful as a clinical alternative for determining hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in obese children.

Syncope is a common symptom, with 15% to 25% of children and adolescents experiencing at least one syncopal episode by young adulthood. In most cases, syncope is a symptom of benign diseases however may be a symptom of severe cardiac disease that results in sudden death. The purpose of this study is to analyze the etiologies and clinical characteristics of syncope in children and adolescents. We retroprospectively analyzed 51 patients with syncope. A total of 51 patients were included in the study and the ratio of males to female was 1: 1.04. The mean patient age was 12.7±3.1 years. Abrupt standing was the most common state of patients with syncopal attack. The etiologies of syncope were noncardiac syncope (60.7%), cardiac syncope (2%), neuropsychiatric syncope (25.5%), and unknown (11.8%). Abnormality of the head-up tilt test was more common in noncardiac syncope than the others [38.7% (12/31) vs 5% (1/20) (p=0.007)]. Further, EEG is a useful diagnostic test for neuropychiatric syncope [41.6% (5/12) vs 2.7% (1/36) (p=0.002)]. Therefore, detailed history taking and physical examinations were useful tools to diagnose the etiology of sycope. The head-up tilt test is an effective diagnostic test in noncardiac syncope and EEG is a valuable test in neuropychiatric syncope, especially in seizure.