title: Visceral Adiposity is Preferentially Associated with Vascular Stiffness Rather than Thickness in Men with Type 2 Diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Visceral fat accumulation is known to underlie the clustering of cardiovascular risk factors. However, it is not completely understood how visceral fat accumulation influences the development of cardiovascular disease. In this study, we investigated the clinical impact of visceral adiposity on vascular stiffness and thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty-one patients with T2D, including 92 men and 69 women, were included in this cross-sectional study. Visceral fat area (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were measured by dual bioelectrical impedance analysis. Stiffness parameter β and intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery were measured by ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age and duration of diabetes in the study population were 61 years and 13.9 years, respectively. In men, VFA and waist circumference (WC) were positively correlated with stiffness parameter β, whereas body mass index (BMI), WC, and SFA were negatively correlated with IMT. In contrast, in women, none of the obesity-related indices were significantly correlated with stiffness parameter β or IMT. In multiple regression analyses, VFA as well as WC, BMI, and SFA were independently associated with stiffness parameter β after adjustment for age and other potential confounders in men but not in women. None of the obesity-related indices were independently associated with IMT for either sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In men with T2D, visceral adiposity is associated with carotid arterial stiffness but not thickness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morigami
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morioka
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Ryutaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Numaguchi
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asada
authors.forename: Koka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Motoyama
authors.forename: Katsuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shoji
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emoto
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inaba
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*