title: Correlation of renin angiotensin and aldosterone system activity with subcutaneous and visceral adiposity: the framingham heart study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animal studies suggest that local adipocyte-mediated activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to circulating levels, and may promote the development of obesity-related hypertension in rodents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined relations of systemic RAAS activity, as assessed by circulating plasma renin activity (PRA), serum aldosterone level, and aldosterone:renin ratio (ARR), with specific regional adiposity measures in a large, community-based sample. Third Generation Framingham Heart Study participants underwent multidetector computed tomography assessment of SAT and VAT volumes during Exam 1 (2002 and 2005). PRA and serum aldosterone were measured after approximately 10 minutes of supine rest; results were log-transformed for analysis. Correlation coefficients between log-transformed RAAS measures and adiposity measurements were calculated, adjusted for age and sex. Partial correlations between log-transformed RAAS measures and adiposity measurements were also calculated, adjusted for standard CVD risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 992 women and 897 men were analyzed (mean age 40 years; 7% hypertension; 3% diabetes). No associations were observed with SAT (renin r = 0.04, p = 0.1; aldosterone r = -0.01, p = 0.6) or VAT (renin r = 0.03, p = 0.2; aldosterone r = -0.03, p = 0.2). Similar results were observed for ARR, in sex-stratified analyses, and for BMI and waist circumference. Non-significant partial correlations were also observed in models adjusted for standard cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regional adiposity measures were not associated with circulating measures of RAAS activity in this large population-based study. Further studies are required to determine whether adipocyte-derived RAAS components contribute to systemic RAAS activity in humans.
authors.affiliation: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, 73 Mt, Wayte Avenue Suite #2, Framingham, MA, USA. foxca@nhlbi.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Conall M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: O'Seaghdha
authors.forename: Shih-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Ramachandran S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Vasan
authors.forename: Martin G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Caroline S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Fox