title: Visceral adiposity index as an indicator of cardiometabolic risk in patients treated for craniopharyngioma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Craniopharyngioma is associated with metabolic alterations leading to increased cardiovascular mortality. Recently, the visceral adiposity index has been proposed as a marker of visceral adipose tissue dysfunction and of the related cardiometabolic risk. The role of the visceral adiposity index has never been explored in craniopharyngioma patients. We assessed the cardiometabolic risk on the basis of the visceral adiposity index in craniopharyngioma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated data of 24 patients treated for craniopharyngioma in a single-centre. We investigated the relationship among patients' clinical and biochemical features, cardiovascular risk -assessed by the Framingham and the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk scores-, visceral adiposity index and adipose tissue dysfunction severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased visceral adiposity index was found in 8 patients (33%). Adipose tissue dysfunction resulted to be severe, moderate or mild in 5, 2 and 1 cases. Increased visceral adiposity index significantly correlated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (p 0.027), IRI (p 0.001), triglycerides (p < 0.001), HOMA-IR (p < 0.001) and with lower ISI-Matsuda (p 0.005) and HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001). Higher degree of adipose tissue dysfunction associated with increased insulin resistance. No gender difference was found for visceral adiposity index, adipose tissue dysfunction severity, and cardiovascular risk scores. Patients with adulthood onset craniopharyngioma showed higher Framingham risk score (p 0.004), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease 10-year (p < 0.001) and lifetime (p 0.018) risk scores than those with childhood onset disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visceral adiposity index is increased in one third of our patients with craniopharyngioma, even if metabolic syndrome does not occur. Increased visceral adiposity index and adipose tissue dysfunction severity correlate with insulin sensitivity parameters, do not correlate with Framingham or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk scores, and are not influenced by gender and age of disease onset.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. francesco.ferrau1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7472-6598
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferraù
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spagnolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Oana Ruxandra
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Cotta
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cannavò
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alibrandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Metabolic Diseases Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina Tiziana
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aversa
authors.affiliation: Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trimarchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cannavò
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cardiometabolic risk; Cardiovascular risk; Craniopharyngioma; Hypopituitarism; Visceral adiposity index