title: Age-related different relationships between ectopic adipose tissues and measures of central obesity in sedentary subjects.
abstract: Accumulation of fat at ectopic sites has been gaining attention as pivotal contributor of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and related cardiovascular complications. Intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), located between skeletal muscle bundles and beneath muscle fascia, has been linked to physical inactivity, ageing and body mass index, but little is known about its relationship with the other AT compartments, in particular with increasing age. To address this issue, erector spinae IMAT, epicardial (EAT), intraabdominal (IAAT) and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were simultaneously measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and related to waist circumference measurements and age in 32 sedentary subjects without cardiovascular disease (18 men; 14 women; mean age 48.5 ± 14 years). Fasting glucose, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol were also assessed. We observed that, after dividing individuals according to age (≤ or > 50 years), IMAT and EAT depots were significantly more expanded in older subjects (63.2 ± 8.3 years) than in the younger ones (38.4 ± 5.2 years) (p < 0.001). Overall, both IMAT and EAT showed stronger positive associations with increasing age (β = 0.63 and 0.67, respectively, p < 0.001 for both) than with waist circumference (β = 0.55 and 0.49, respectively, p < 0.01 for both) after adjusting for gender. In addition, the gender-adjusted associations of IMAT and EAT with waist circumference and IAAT were significant in individuals ≤ 50 years only (p<0.05 for all) and not in the older ones. In contrast, no age-related differences were seen in the relationships of IAAT and SAT with waist circumference. Finally, serum triglycerides levels turned out not to be independently related with ectopic IMAT and EAT. In conclusion, the expansion of IMAT and EAT in sedentary subjects is more strongly related to age than waist circumference, and a positive association of these ectopic depots with waist circumference and IAAT amount can be postulated in younger individuals only.
authors: Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Guglielmi
authors: Diagnostic Imaging Department, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy.
authors: Luciano
authors: L
authors: Maresca
authors: Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: D'Adamo
authors: Diagnostic Imaging Department, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Di Roma
authors: Cardiology Department, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Lanzillo
authors: Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Federici
authors: Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors: Davide
authors: D
authors: Lauro
authors: Diagnostic Imaging Department, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Preziosi
authors: Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors: Alfonso
authors: A
authors: Bellia
authors: Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Sbraccia
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides