title: Serum nitric oxide metabolite as a biomarker of visceral fat accumulation: clinical significance of measurement for nitrate/nitrite.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A visceral fat area of more than 100 cm2 as measured by computed tomography (CT) at the umbilical level has been included as a criterion for obesity in all the proposed criteria for metabolic syndrome. However, CT cannot be used frequently because of radiation exposure. We evaluated the usefulness of measurement of the serum levels of nitric oxide (NO), instead of CT and the waist circumference, as a marker of abdominal visceral fat accumulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in 80 subjects. The serum levels of NO metabolites (nitrate/nitrite) were measured using the Griess reagent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Simple and multiple regression analysis revealed that the serum levels of NO metabolites showed the greatest degree of correlation with the visceral fat area (r = 0.743, p<0.0001), and corresponded to a visceral fat area of 100 cm2, as determined using the ROC curve, was 21.0 µmol/ml (sensitivity 88%, specificity 82%); this method was more sensitive than the waist circumference for evaluation of the visceral fat accumulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of the serum levels of NO metabolites may be a simple, safe, convenient and reliable method for the evaluation of visceral fat accumulation in clinical diagnostic screening.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nozaki
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kirikoshi
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inamori
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakajima
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II