Clinical implications of fatty pancreas: correlations between fatty pancreas and metabolic syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical implications of lipid deposition in the pancreas (fatty pancreas).


METHODS
The subjects of this study were 293 patients who had undergone abdominal computed tomography (CT) and sonography. Fatty pancreas was diagnosed by sonographic findings and subdivided into mild, moderate, and severe fatty pancreas groups comparing to the retroperitoneal fat echogenicity.


RESULTS
Fatty pancreas was associated with higher levels for visceral fat, waist circumference, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, free fatty acid, gamma-GTP, insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) than the control group (P < 0.05). HOMA-IR, visceral fat, triglyceride, and ALT also tended to increase with the degree of fat deposition in the pancreas on sonography. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, HOMA-IR, visceral fat, and ALT level were independently related to fatty pancreas after adjustment for age, body mass index, and lipid profile. The incidence of metabolic syndrome in the fatty pancreas group was significantly higher than in the control group, and the numbers of metabolic syndrome parameters were significantly higher in the fatty pancreas group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Sonographic fatty pancrease showed higher insulin resistance, visceral fat area, triglyceride, and ALT levels than normal pancreases. Fatty pancreas also showed a strong correlation with metabolic syndrome.
Department of Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
Jun Seok
JS
Lee
Sang Heum
SH
Kim
Dae Won
DW
Jun
Jee Hye
JH
Han
Eun Chul
EC
Jang
Ji Young
JY
Park
Byung Kwan
BK
Son
Seong Hwan
SH
Kim
Yoon Ju
YJ
Jo
Young Sook
YS
Park
Yong Soo
YS
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography