Association between ultrasonographic visceral fat indices and cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetic patients

Jeong, Gwi Hong; Kim, Sung Kyun; Chung, Jin Ook; Cho, Dong Hyeok; Chung, Dong Jin; Chung, Min Young

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Visceral obesity is known as an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of ultrasonographic-determined visceral fat thickness and other parameters of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and risk factors of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes.
METHODS
A total of 191 type 2 diabetic patients (101 men and 90 women) participated in this study. Anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory data including the body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure and lipid profiles were measured. Insulin resistance was calculated by using the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The visceral fat thickness was measured by abdominal ultrasonography at 1 cm above the umbilicus.
RESULTS
The visceral fat thickness was positively correlated with the body mass index (p<0.001), waist circumference (p<0.001), fat mass (p<0.001), fat distribution (p<0.001), and HOMA-IR (p<0.05), whereas it was negatively correlated with theHDL-cholesterol level (p<0.05). The visceral fat thickness was better correlated with the presence of metabolic syndrome than with the subcutaneous fat thickness. The highest tertile of visceral fat thickness had a higher odds ratio for hypertension (OR=4.02, 95% CI 1.08~14.98), dyslipidemia (OR=9.64, 95% CI 1.08~85.37), and metabolic syndrome (OR=11.35, 95% CI 1.34~96.00) than did those in the lowest tertile, after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study show that the measurement of abdominal visceral fat thickness using abdominal ultrasonography can be used as a reliable method to identify the risk for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients.