title: Abdominal obesity and low-grade systemic inflammation as markers of subclinical organ damage in type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore the associations between abdominal obesity, inflammatory markers and subclinical organ damage in 740 middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Waist circumference (WC) and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) were measured, and blood samples were analyzed for C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was evaluated by ultrasonography, and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured with applanation tonometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Abdominal obesity as determined by SAD and WC was significantly correlated with IL-6 (WC: r=0.27, P<0.001; SAD: r=031, P<0.001), CRP (WC: r=0.29, P<0.001; SAD: r=0.29, P<0.001), IMT (WC: r=0.09, P=0.013; SAD: r=0.11, P=0.003) and PWV (WC: r=0.18, P<0.001; SAD: r=0.21, P<0.001). In multiple linear regressions with IMT and PWV as dependent variables, and age, gender, statin use, systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass index (BMI), CRP and HbA1c as independent variables, both SAD and WC remained associated with IMT and PWV. On stepwise linear regression and entering both SAD and WC, the association between SAD and PWV was stronger than the association between WC and PWV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both SAD and WC are feasible measures of obesity, and both provide information on inflammation, atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes, while SAD appears to be slightly more robustly associated with subclinical organ damage than WC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: elsa.dahlen@liu.se.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dahlén
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tengblad
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Länne
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion medicine, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clinchy
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion medicine, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ernerudh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden; Diabetes Research Centre, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Nystrom
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden; Diabetes Research Centre, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Östgren
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Anthropometric measurements; Cardiovascular disease; Obesity; Type 2 diabetes