title: Serum carcinoembryonic antigen is associated with abdominal visceral fat accumulation in female Korean nonsmokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a tumor marker overexpressed in adenocarcinoma that has proinflammatory properties. Recent studies have reported that CEA is positively associated with carotid atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome. Because visceral obesity is a known risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases, CEA may also be associated with visceral adiposity. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between serum CEA concentration and visceral obesity in female Korean nonsmokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 270 Korean female nonsmokers were enrolled during their routine health check-ups. Biomarkers of metabolic risk factors were assessed along with body composition by computed tomography. Serum CEA levels were measured by using a chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum CEA levels correlated with visceral fat area, fasting glucose, and triglyceride levels after adjusting for age and BMI. The mean visceral fat area increased significantly with the increasing CEA tirtiles. In a step-wise multiple regression analysis, age (β = 0.26, p<0.01) and visceral fat area (β = 0.19, p = 0.03) were identified as explanatory variables for serum CEA level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggested that CEA may be a mediator that links metabolic disturbance and tumorigenesis in visceral obesity. Further studies are required to better understand the clinical and pathophysiological significance of our findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Severance hospital, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seodaemun-gu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jee-Yon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyang-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Duk-Chul
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D007723:Korea; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen