Increase of intra-abdominal fat in patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate changes in amount and distribution of body fat in patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).


METHODS
Prospective study. Computed tomography (CT) and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were used for determination of body composition at commencement of CAPD, and after a mean of 7.2 months of dialysis treatment.


METHODS
CAPD unit at an academic teaching hospital.


METHODS
The study included 19 consecutive patients who started CAPD during a 15-month time frame. Of these 19 patients, 12 (8 males) with a mean initial age of 60 years completed the study.


METHODS
Siemens Somatom HiQ (Erlangen, Germany) was used for CT of the abdomen and of the right thigh. Fat and muscle areas were expressed as square centimeters. The proportion of total fat mass was determined by body composition analysis using DEXA (DPX-L densitometer) (Lunar, Madison, WI, U.S.A.) and expressed as percentage of total body weight (FA%).


RESULTS
Body weight changed from 67.1 to 68.4 kg (p = 0.20), and the intra-abdominal fat area increased 22.8% (p = 0.02). This increase was predominantly seen in male patients (p = 0.007). The FAT% changed from 27.8% to 30.9% (p = 0.25), without difference between sexes.


CONCLUSIONS
The increase of intra-abdominal fat found in this study may suggest a mechanism by which the established risk for CAPD patients to develop cardiovascular morbidity and mortality may be at least partially explained.
Fernström
A
A
Department of Internal Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Hylander
B
B
Moritz
A
A
Jacobsson
H
H
Rössner
S
S
D000005:Abdomen; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*