title: Degree of obesity influences the relationship of PAI-1 with body fat distribution and metabolic variables in African women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the relationship of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) with obesity has been well established, the relationship of PAI-1 with different body fat distribution patterns is less clear particularly in non-white ethnicities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the cross-sectional association of PAI-1actwith body fat % and two different body fat distribution patterns, namely sarcopenic obesity (SO) and visceral (VAT) compared to subcutaneous (SCAT) abdominal obesity, in 246 healthy African women by creating sub-groups according to different body fat distribution patterns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PAI-1actlevel of the SO group did not differ significantly from that of the excessive % body fat, non-sarcopenic group (p=0.8). The relationship of PAI-1act, with body fat %, insulin, triglycerides and appendicular skeletal mass (ASM) was influenced by body fat distribution patterns and degree of obesity. PAI-1actwas higher (1.65 vs 0.16U/ml; p=0.001) in women with a proportionally higher abdominal VAT compared to higher abdominal SCAT compartment in the total study population, but not in the centrally obese sub-group (1.72 vs 0.83U/ml; p=0.5). Multiple regression models indicated that body fat % per se did not contribute significantly to PAI-1actvariance in women with increased fat mass.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fat distribution patterns and degree of obesity influenced the association of PAI-1actwith insulin, triglycerides, ASM and body fat % in African women. In centrally obese women, abdominal VAT no longer contributed more to plasma PAI-1act, than abdominal SCAT. Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction contributed more to PAI-1actvariance in obese African women than did body fat % per se.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Electronic address: 13024787@nwu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Sunelle A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Electronic address: marlien.pieters@nwu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Marlien
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pieters
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Electronic address: cornelie.nienaber@nwu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Cornelie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nienaber-Rousseau
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Electronic address: salome.kruger@nwu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Herculina S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kruger
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D044383:Black People; D050218:Body Fat Distribution / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1
keywords: Abdominal obesity; Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1; Sarcopenic obesity