title: Effect of fat distribution on endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vasodilatation in healthy humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to explore the relationship between inflammatory cytokines, plasma lipids, insulin, blood pressure (BP), total adiposity/markers of fat distribution and endothelial function in healthy people across a wide range of body fatness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three healthy people (44 women; age range: 24-64 years) with body mass index (BMI) range of 18.6-73.1 kg/m2 were recruited. All participants underwent assessment of conduit artery endothelial-dependent vasodilatation by using flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery and endothelial-independent vasodilatation to sublingual GTN. They had blood taken for measurement of plasma markers of glucose homeostasis (fasting insulin and glucose), systemic inflammation (interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha receptor 2 (TNF-alpha R2)) and lipids (low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides). Morphometric assessment (waist circumference, BMI and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)) and systolic and diastolic arterial pressure were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Markers of total body fat/fat distribution (waist circumference, BMI and WHR), inflammation (IL-6, CRP and TNF-alpha R2), metabolism (fasting insulin, HDL, LDL and triglycerides) and BP (systolic and diastolic) correlated with FMD. Among these measurements, WHR was the only independent predictor of FMD (r2 = 0.30; p = 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WHR is an important marker of endothelial dysfunction in healthy people across a wide range of body fatness.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, King's College, London, UK.
authors.forename: I L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chowienczyk
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wheatcroft
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sherwood
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Momin
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kearney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D016207:Cytokines; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids