Ultrasound evaluation of visceral fat and metabolic risk factors during early pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to study the relationships between ultrasound estimated visceral fat and metabolic risk factors during early pregnancy.


METHODS
Thirty consecutive healthy pregnant women at 11 to 14 weeks of gestation were studied. Maximum subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) and visceral fat thickness (VFT) were successfully measured by ultrasound. Fasting plasma glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and blood pressure were measured. Insulin resistance was calculated by using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA).


RESULTS
VFT significantly correlated with diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.37, p = 0.04), glycemia (r = 0.37, p = 0.04), insulinemia (r = 0.59, p = 0.001) insulin sensitivity (HOMA; r = 0.59, p = 0.001), triglycerides (r = 0.58, p = 0.03), HDL-C (r = -0.39, p = 0.03), and total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio (p = 0.002), whereas SFT was significantly correlated with only diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.03). VFT better significantly correlated with the metabolic risk factors than pre-gestational BMI [r = 0.39, p = 0.03 for insulinemia, r = 0.42, p = 0.02 for insulin sensitivity (HOMA), and r = 0.49, p = 0.01 for triglycerides and not significant for the rest].


CONCLUSIONS
Visceral fat thickness can be easily measured by ultrasound at early pregnancy and correlates better than BMI with metabolic risk factors.
Bartha
Jose L
JL
Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital "Puerta del Mar," Avenida Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain. joseluis.bartha@uca.es
Marín-Segura
Patricia
P
González-González
Nieves L
NL
Wagner
Fernando
F
Aguilar-Diosdado
Manuel
M
Hervias-Vivancos
Blas
B
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*