Testing of correlation between amounts of visceral and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue in obese people measured by ultrasound and biochemical indicators of glycolipid status

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity is a growing health problem in economically developed countries. Abdominal fat is distributed in two large compartments: visceral fat is localized in the abdominal cavity (around the abdominal organs) and subcutaneous fat (between the skin and muscle layers of the abdominal wall). Ultrasonography is the most appropriate imaging method for estimating the amount of visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat in obese patients. Aim: The aim is to assess the correlation between the amount of visceral and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue, estimated by ultrasound in obese individuals, and biochemical indicators of their glycolipid status. Material and Methods: Retrospective study included 183 adult obese patients (131 women and 52 men, mean age 42.6 ± 12.2, mean weight 123.4 ± 26.7 kg, mean BMI 43.5 ± 7.6kg/m2), in whom diameters of visceral (dVAFT) and subcutaneous abdominal fat (dSCAFT) were measured by ultrasonography. Following anthropometric parameters, height, weight, waist circumference (WC) and hip cimrcumference (HC) were also measured. Also, biochemical analysis of the concentration of glucose, insulin, HbA1c, triglycerides and cholesterol (parameters of the glycolipid status) was done. Correlation among these parameters was tested using Pearson's test of linear correlation (r). Results: Positive correlation was found between the dVAFT and all analyzed biochemical parameters of the glycolipid status (p < 0.001). The exceptions were total cholesterol (p = 0.158), negative correlation between the dSCAFT and concentrations of serum glucose, HbA1c and triglycerides (p < 0.01), dVAFT/dSCAFT index most strongly positively correlated with the glucose concentration (r = 0.534), HbA1c (r = 0.456) and triglyceride levels (r = 0.443). WC and WC/HC index significantly correlated with the concentration of all biochemical parameters of glycolipid status, except total cholesterol, but less strongly than dVAFT and dVAFT/dSCAFT index. Conclusion: Visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat diameters were measured by ultrasound, and especially dVAFT/dSCAFT index, express stronger correlation with the biochemical parameters of glycolipid status, than the anthropometric parameters, in adult obese people