Adriana SzczęCh

Background and Objective: Body mass index (BMI) is widely used to classify obesity in children and adolescents but does not characterize fat distribution. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) may provide information on cardiometabolic risk beyond BMI. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the associations between VAT and cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents with obesity and to evaluate whether VAT provides additional information beyond BMI. Methods: PubMed and Scopus were searched for English-language studies published between 1 January 2016 and 28 February 2026. Eligible studies included participants aged 6–19 years, assessed VAT using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), or ultrasonography (USG), and reported at least one cardiometabolic outcome. Two reviewers independently screened the records. Methodological quality was assessed using the appropriate Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools or the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Because of methodological and clinical heterogeneity, the findings were synthesized narratively. The review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement. Results: Twenty studies were included, most of which were cross-sectional. Higher VAT was generally associated with insulin resistance, adverse lipid profiles, elevated blood pressure, inflammatory biomarkers, and early vascular dysfunction, although findings were not uniform across all populations and outcomes. In several studies, associations remained significant after adjustment for BMI or other measures of general adiposity, suggesting that VAT may capture cardiometabolic risk not reflected by BMI alone. DXA was the most frequently used assessment method. Conclusions: VAT may complement BMI in cardiometabolic risk assessment among children and adolescents with obesity. However, predominantly cross-sectional evidence, methodological heterogeneity, and the absence of standardized pediatric thresholds preclude firm conclusions about its incremental predictive value or routine clinical use. Prospective studies directly comparing VAT and BMI are required.

Background: Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are rare immune-mediated disorders that may represent the first clinical manifestation of an underlying tumor. Case Report: This report describes a 58-year-old woman with rapidly progressive cerebellar dysfunction and anti-Yo antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Definite PNS was diagnosed according to the PNS-Care Score criteria (score: 10/10). Oncological evaluation revealed FIGO IIIC high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) with extensive peritoneal dissemination. Despite corticosteroids, cytoreductive surgery, and carboplatin–paclitaxel chemotherapy, neurological disability progressed, although tumor control was achieved. Methods: A PRISMA-guided review of PubMed and Scopus identified 33 studies of PNSs associated with ovarian tumors published between 2016 and 2026. Results: Anti-NMDAR encephalitis, mainly associated with ovarian teratomas, generally showed favorable recovery, whereas anti-Yo-associated cerebellar degeneration, predominantly linked to epithelial ovarian malignancies, had poor neurological outcomes. Conclusions: Prompt antibody testing, oncological investigation, and multidisciplinary treatment are essential, although anti-Yo-associated neurological deficits may be irreversible.