Abdominal wall fat index, estimated by ultrasonography, for assessment of the ratio of visceral fat to subcutaneous fat in the abdomen.
OBJECTIVE
To establish a new index of regional fat distribution using ultrasonography for assessment of the ratio of the visceral fat area (V) to the subcutaneous fat area (S) (V/S ratio).


METHODS
The subjects examined were 62 patients (23 males and 39 females); 51 patients had hyperlipidemia and 11 patients had glucose intolerance. The mean body mass indices ranged from 20.3 to 42.9. The mean age of the patients was 44 +/- 13 years. The thicknesses of the preperitoneal fat layer (P) and subcutaneous fat layer (S) in the abdomen were measured by ultrasonography and the P/S ratio was calculated. The V/S ratio was obtained with radiographic computed tomography.


RESULTS
Of the various P/S ratios examined, the ratio of the maximum thickness of preperitoneal fat to the minimum thickness of subcutaneous fat was most closely correlated with the V/S ratio (r = 0.746, p < 0.0001). This ratio was termed the abdominal wall fat index (AFI). AFI was positively correlated with serum triglyceride levels and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.312, p < 0.05), whereas the V/S ratio was correlated with triglyceride levels. AFI was positively correlated with basal insulin levels in both men and women.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that AFI measured by ultrasonography may be a new indicator of visceral fat deposition, and may reflect metabolic disorders such as lipid metabolism and glucose metabolism disorders.
Suzuki
R
R
Department of Internal Medicine, Matsudo Municipal Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
Watanabe
S
S
Hirai
Y
Y
Akiyama
K
K
Nishide
T
T
Matsushima
Y
Y
Murayama
H
H
Ohshima
H
H
Shinomiya
M
M
Shirai
K
K
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001824:Body Constitution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014781:Viscera / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging