{
  "abstract": "Background: Osteocalcin (OC) is a bone-derived hormone increasingly implicated in glucose and lipid metabolism. Although its metabolic role has been extensively investigated in adults, evidence in pediatric populations remains limited. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum OC levels and glucose metabolism in children and adolescents with obesity. Methods: A single-center, retrospective study was conducted in a cohort of pediatric patients with essential obesity. Auxological and biochemical parameters were assessed, including fasting glucose, insulin, lipid profile, liver enzymes, thyroid function, calcium–phosphorus metabolism, vitamin D3, parathormone (PTH), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), and OC. Insulin resistance was evaluated using the HOMA-IR index (>2.5 considered positive). Correlation analyses were performed to assess the associations between serum OC levels and metabolic, biochemical, and clinical parameters. Results: Twenty-two of 33 patients (66.7%) had insulin resistance (HOMA-IR > 2.5) despite preserved glucose tolerance. Mean fasting glucose was 88.1 ± 10.83 mg/dL, fasting insulin 24.9 ± 13 μU/mL, and mean serum OC 112.1 ± 56.1 ng/mL. Serum OC levels were positively correlated with fasting insulin (r = 0.41, p = 0.023) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.46, p = 0.013). Conclusions: In children with obesity and preserved glucose tolerance, higher serum OC levels were associated with insulin resistance. Further studies in larger pediatric cohorts are needed to clarify this association and evaluate the potential role of OC as a biomarker of early metabolic dysregulation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy",
    "Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy",
    "Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy",
    "Centro di Riferimento Regionale Obesità Infantile, AOU G. Martino-Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 13,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Serena Sbilordo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Selene Francesca Anna Drago",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1469-6101"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Antonino Catalano",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3890-2299"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Giuseppina Zirilli"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Giuseppina Salzano"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Fortunato Lombardo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Stefano Passanisi",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4369-7798"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Bruno Bombaci",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8664-1025"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Loredana Grasso"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "M’Hammed Aguennouz"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Angela Alibrandi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Vincenzo Macaione"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mariella Valenzise"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8rx51fqp1pd0z.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/nu18203418",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708047/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "8rx51fqp1pd0z",
  "issns": [
    "2072-6643"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/20/3418",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Bone Metabolism and Diseases"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222983954",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708047/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13708047",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8rx51fqp1pd0z.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:56Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/nu18203418",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/20/3418"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:48Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13708047",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13708047"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1312|Bone Metabolism and Diseases",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Role of Osteocalcin in the Regulation of Glucose Metabolism in Children and Adolescents with Obesity",
  "title_text": "Role of Osteocalcin in the Regulation of Glucose Metabolism in Children and Adolescents with Obesity",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:48Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8rx51fqp1pd0z",
  "venue": "Nutrients",
  "versions": []
}