title: The impact of abdominal adiposity measured by sonography on the pulmonary function of pre-menopausal females.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used parameter to study obesity; however it does not assess the distribution of body adiposity. Ultrasonography is a reliable method of measuring subcutaneous (SAT), visceral (VAT) and Total adipose tissue of the abdomen (TAT) to determine the influence of abdominal fat on pulmonary function by directly measuring abdominal adipose tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty pre-menopausal, non-smoker, sedentary females with no history of pulmonary disease were subdivided into three groups: 25 normal-weight, 28 overweight, 27 obese. Absolute and predictive spirometric values were obtained: FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, IC, ERV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive correlation between increased %IC and decreased %ERV was observed with increased BMI (p < 0.02; 0.001 respectively); %FVC, %FEV1 and %ERV decreased significantly as SAT (p = 0.01, p = 0.02; p < 0.001) and TAT (p = 0.01, p = 0.03, p < 0.001) increased, whereas VAT was negatively correlated only with %ERV (p < 0.001). Increments of 5 mm in TAT, VAT and SAT were followed by a reduction of 0.83 %, 0.81 %, 1.90 % in %FVC, respectively, as well as a reduction of 4.25 %, 4.31 % and 9.44 % in %ERV, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue deposition in obese females has a greater negative influence on pulmonary function than visceral adipose tissue deposition.
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, Rua Silvia, 301 apto 22 Bela Vista, CEP 01331-010 São Paulo, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Zied
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rasslan
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, Rua Silvia, 301 apto 22 Bela Vista, CEP 01331-010 São Paulo, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stirbulov
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, Rua Silvia, 301 apto 22 Bela Vista, CEP 01331-010 São Paulo, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Saad
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Junior
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, Rua Silvia, 301 apto 22 Bela Vista, CEP 01331-010 São Paulo, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergio Tercio
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Curia
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, Rua Silvia, 301 apto 22 Bela Vista, CEP 01331-010 São Paulo, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: da Conceição Lima
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences of Santa Casa School of Medicine of Sao Paulo (FCMSCSP), Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Araújo
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Nove de Julho University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ezequiel Fernandes
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Mondo Medico, Multidisciplinary and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic, Borgomanero, NO Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio Ferdinando
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Donner
authors.affiliation: Nove de Julho University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Vicente Franco
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Oliveira
keywords: Abdominal adiposity deposition; Obesity; Respiratory function; Sonography; Subcutaneous; Visceral