Visceral fat thickness measured by ultrasonography can estimate not only visceral obesity but also risks of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
BACKGROUND
Visceral obesity is closely associated with cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Estimating the amount of visceral fat is important and requires a straightforward, reliable, and practical method.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether visceral fat thickness (VFT) measured by ultrasonography can adequately assess visceral fat accumulation and predict cardiovascular or metabolic diseases.


METHODS
Diabetic patients (240 men and 106 women) underwent ultrasonography to estimate visceral fat accumulation.


RESULTS
The visceral adipose tissue area had the best correlation with VFT (r = 0.799, P < 0.001). VFT correlated with HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations, the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, and the intima-media thickness at the common carotid artery (r = -0.30, 0.39, 0.34, 0.31, and 0.33, respectively; P < 0.05) in men and with triacylglycerol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (r = 0.33, 0.44, and 0.30, respectively; P < 0.05) in women. Men in the middle and high VFT tertiles had a higher odds ratio (OR) of coronary artery disease [ORs: 4.48 (95% CI: 1.29, 5.51) and 2.04 (1.06, 3.94), respectively; P = 0.016], hypertriacylglycerolemia [ORs: 2.87 (1.41, 5.86) and 1.91 (1.24, 2.95), respectively; P = 0.003], and the metabolic syndrome [ORs: 3.38 (1.61, 7.10) and 1.95 (1.16, 3.27), respectively; P = 0.003] than did those in the low tertile, after adjustment for age, waist circumference, and body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
VFT might be a reliable index for assessing the amount of visceral fat and for identifying diabetic patients, particularly men, who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease.
Kim
Soo Kyung
SK
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Hae Jin
HJ
Hur
Kyu Yeon
KY
Choi
Sung Hee
SH
Ahn
Chul Woo
CW
Lim
Sung Kil
SK
Kim
Kyung Rae
KR
Lee
Hyun Chul
HC
Huh
Kap Bum
KB
Cha
Bong Soo
BS
D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
D002784:Cholesterol