title: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is a valid method to estimate visceral adipose tissue in adult patients with Prader-Willi syndrome during treatment with growth hormone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is established as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but the radiation exposure and cost of computed tomography (CT) measurements limits its daily clinical use.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of this study was to compare the degree of agreement between VAT measurements by a new dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) application and one of the standard methods, CT, in a population of patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) before and after GH treatment. Furthermore, we tested whether VAT estimations by these two methods are equivalent in assessing the metabolic risk in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Norwegian population of a multicenter study in adults with genetically proven PWS were used. Subjects with complete anthropometry, biochemical, and imagistic measurements at all study visits (baseline and after 12 and 24 months of GH treatment) (n = 14, six men) were included. VAT was quantified both using CT scans (GE Lightspeed 16 Pro) of the abdomen at L2-L3 level and a total body DXA scan (GE Healthcare Lunar Prodigy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  VAT DXA was strongly associated with VAT CT at baseline (r = 0.97) and after 12 (r = 0.90) and 24 months (r = 0.89) of GH treatment (all P < .001). We found moderate to strong positive correlations between VAT by both methods, and blood pressure, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, glucose metabolism, and other fat depots (arms, legs, android, trunk, total body) but no association with age, gender, blood lipids, and IGF-I. Adiponectin was negatively associated with the amount of VAT. At baseline, the highest correlation with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was found for VAT DXA (r = 0.76, P = .001) and VAT CT (r = 0.75, P = .002), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VAT can be accurately estimated by DXA, in patients with PWS, and might contribute to the assessment of the metabolic risk.
authors: Section of Specialized Endocrinology (N.C.O., A.P.J., K.G., J.B.), Department of Endocrinology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Faculty of Medicine (N.C.O., J.B.), and Department of Biostatistics (K.F.F.), Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, N-0424 Oslo, Norway; and Department of Radiology (A.G.J.), Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000 C Aarhus, Denmark.
authors: Nicoleta Cristina
authors: NC
authors: Olarescu
authors: Anders Palmstrøm
authors: AP
authors: Jørgensen
authors: Kristin
authors: K
authors: Godang
authors: Anne Grethe
authors: AG
authors: Jurik
authors: Kathrine Frey
authors: KF
authors: Frøslie
authors: Jens
authors: J
authors: Bollerslev
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020379:Risk Adjustment / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D001786:Blood Glucose; D019382:Human Growth Hormone