title: Visceral fat reflects disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Response to infliximab treatment diminishes as body mass index (BMI) increases in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The purpose of the study was to determine if diminished response to infliximab treatment in patients with AS could be associated with increased visceral adipose tissue rather than increased BMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty six AS patients (21 males and five females) who fulfilled the modified New York criteria and who were currently receiving infliximab treatment were enrolled in the study. Pain was measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS). The disease activity and functional status were assessed by the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI). The Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI) was used to evaluate mobility restrictions. Weight and visceral body composition were measured without shoes in light indoor clothes using a bio-impedance meter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant correlation between visceral adipose tissue amount and disease activity under infliximab treatment. In correlation analysis, visceral fat showed significant correlations between BASDAI (r=0.545, p=0.004) and VAS (r=0.458, p=0.019). Total body fat also showed a significant correlation with BASDAI (r=0.463, p=0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant correlation was found between visceral adipose tissue amount and disease activity in patients with AS.
authors.affiliation: . hekimmesut@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mesut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Nihat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.forename: Mehmet A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Akil
authors.forename: Mehmet Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Bilik
authors.forename: Abdurrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akyuz
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Batmaz
authors.forename: Sait
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alan
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult