Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution Research Articles

P-784 Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in children born after assisted reproductive technology with frozen and fresh embryo transfer

Abstract Study question Is the distribution of abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) comparable between children following assisted reproduction and natural conception (NC)? Summary answer Children following frozen embryo transfer (FET) have significantly lower VAT/SAT-ratio than children following NC. However, this is not believed to be clinically important. What is known already It is well-established that an adverse distribution of the abdominal adipose tissue with high VAT/SAT-ratio increases the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, hence the VAT/SAT-ratio is closely related to the metabolic profile. Children conceived after FET and fresh embryo transfer (Fresh-ET) are at risk of being born large-for-gestational-age (LGA) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA), respectively. Both, being born LGA and SGA, increases the risk of obesity in later life. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have reported the VAT/SAT-ratio in children following assisted reproductive technology (ART) (both FET and Fresh-ET). Study design, size, duration Prospective observational cohort study including 150 singletons aged 7- to 10-years old conceived after FET (n = 50), Fresh-ET (n = 50) and NC (n = 50). All children were born in Eastern Denmark. The study is conducted between November 2018 and August 2020. Participants/materials, setting, methods This is a substudy af the “Health in Childhood following Assisted Reproductive Technology” (HiCART) study. The children underwent abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the quantification of abdominal adipose tissue along with measurements of anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting blood samples and Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan. The volumes of VAT and SAT were semi-automatically quantified blinded for the mode of conception. Multivariate linear regression analysis of the VAT/SAT-ratio was performed to adjust for confounders. Main results and the role of chance The VAT/SAT-ratio differed significantly between the three groups (mean SD; FET 0.26 (0.08), Fresh-ET 0.29 (0.07), NC 0.30 (0.08), ANOVA, p = 0.014). Pairwise comparison revealed that children conceived after FET had significantly lower VAT/SAT-ratio as compared to children conceived after NC (p = 0.007). In addition, children following FET tended to have lower VAT/SAT-ratio as compared to the Fresh-ET group (p = 0.059). Multivariate linear regression analysis of the VAT/SAT-ratio confirmed a lower VAT/SAT-ratio in FET after adjustment for potential confounding factors (child age and sex, maternal age at delivery and maternal BMI at pregnancy and child birth weight and BMI). Repeat-analysis of 20 MRI showed good intra-rater reliability of VAT and SAT quantifications. As previously reported in the HiCART studies, there were no differences between the groups in anthropometric measurements including body mass index (BMI), lean body mass, blood pressure or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). However, the level of triglycerides was found to be significantly higher in Fresh-ET compared to FET and NC (p = 0.028). Limitations, reasons for caution Selection bias cannot be excluded as only children from Eastern Denmark were invited. The observational nature of a cohort study prevents the establishment of causality. Wider implications of the findings Reassuringly, this study found no clinical important difference in abdominal adipose tissue between children following ART (both FET and Fresh-ET) and NC. However, future studies in larger cohorts are warranted. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03719703

Isthmin-1 (ISM1), a novel adipokine that reflects abdominal adipose tissue distribution in individuals with obesity

BackgroundThe assessment of obesity-related health risks has traditionally relied on the Body Mass Index and waist circumference, but their limitations have propelled the need for a more comprehensive approach. The differentiation between visceral (VIS) and subcutaneous (SC) fat provides a finer-grained understanding of these risks, yet practical assessment methods are lacking. We hypothesized that combining the SC-VIS fat ratio with non-invasive biomarkers could create a valuable tool for obesity-related risk assessment.Methods and resultsA clinical study of 125 individuals with obesity revealed significant differences in abdominal fat distribution measured by CT-scan among genders and distinct models of obesity, including visceral, subcutaneous, and the SC/VIS ratio. Stratification based on these models highlighted various metabolic changes. The SC/VIS ratio emerged as an excellent metric to differentiate metabolic status. Gene expression analysis identified candidate biomarkers, with ISM1 showing promise. Subsequent validation demonstrated a correlation between ISM1 levels in SC and plasma, reinforcing its potential as a non-invasive biomarker for fat distribution. Serum adipokine levels also correlated with the SC/VIS ratio. The Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis revealed ISM1’s efficacy in discriminating individuals with favorable metabolic profiles based on adipose tissue distribution. Correlation analysis also suggested that ISM1 was involved in glucose regulation pathways.ConclusionThe study’s results support the hypothesis that the SC-VIS fat ratio and its derived non-invasive biomarkers can comprehensively assess obesity-related health risks. ISM1 could predict abdominal fat partitioning and be a potential biomarker for evaluating obesity-related health risks.

Abdominal adipose tissue distribution assessed by computed tomography and mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study.

Visceral adiposity has been associated with an increased risk of critical illness in COVID-19 patients. However, if it also associates to a poor survival is still not well established. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between abdominal fat distribution and COVID-19 mortality. In this six-month longitudinal cohort study, abdominal visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissues (SAT) were measured by computed tomography in a cohort of 174 patients admitted to the emergency department with a diagnosis of COVID-19, during the first wave of pandemic. The primary exposure and outcome measures were VAT and SAT at hospital admission, and death at 30 and 180 days, respectively. Overall survival was not different according to VAT (p = 0.94), SAT (p = 0.32) and VAT/SAT ratio (p = 0.64). However, patients in the lowest SAT quartile (thickness ≤ 11.25 mm) had a significantly reduced survival compared to those with thicker SAT (77 vs. 94% at day 30; 74 vs. 91% at day 180, p = 0.01). Similarly, a thinner SAT was associated with lower survival in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admitted patients, independently of sex or age (p = 0.02). The VAT/SAT ratio showed a non-linear increased risk of ICU admission, which plateaued out and tended for inversion at values greater than 1.9 (p = 0.001), although was not associated with increased mortality rate. In our cohort, visceral adiposity did not increase mortality in patients with COVID-19, but low SAT may be associated with poor survival.

Impact of Quantitative Computed Tomography-Based Analysis of Abdominal Adipose Tissue in Patients with Lymphoma.

Quantitative abdominal adipose tissue analysis is important for obtaining information about prognosis and clinical outcomes on a wide array of diseases. In recent years, the effects of abdominal adipose tissue compartments in patients with lymphoma and the changes in their distribution after therapies have been studied. This information could facilitate the improvement of therapies in patients with lymphoma, to prevent or treat both visceral obesity and sarcopenia. Opportunistic analysis of body composition on computed tomography (CT) images might contribute to the improvement of patient management and clinical outcomes together with implementation of targeted patient-tailored therapies. The purpose of this literature review is to describe the role of CT to evaluate abdominal adipose tissue quantity and distribution in patients with lymphoma.

Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution in Male Patients with Urothelial Bladder Cancer

Background: Adiposopathy is characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue, mainly visceral, which may determine adipocyte and adipose tissue-related disorder. A connection between adipose tissue secreted factors and bladder cancer (BC) cell migration has been shown in vitro. These mediators may be related to the pathogenesis of BC. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) in male patients. Methods: In this retrospective study two groups were included. Total adipose tissue (TAT) area, VAT area and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) area were measured in both groups. VAT/SAT ratio was subsequently calculated. Results: No statistically significant differences between the two groups were found in the TAT area, VAT area, SAT area and VAT/SAT ratio. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that VAT is not likely to be a biomarker for UBC risk in male patients.

Validation of a New Diagnostic Index to Determine Metabolic Obesity Phenotypes in Normal-Weight Women in Early Pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION It would be useful to have diagnostic indices for obesity phenotypes in pregnant women based on morphological traits and the specific distribution of abdominal adipose tissue. This type of practical resource would allow for the classification of obesity phenotypes in normal-weight women in early pregnancy and would contribute to primary healthcare followup of pregnant […]

The association of abdominal adiposity with premature discontinuation of postoperative chemotherapy in colon cancer

Patients with colon cancer who prematurely discontinue postoperative chemotherapy may have an increased risk of disease recurrence and death. This study tested the hypothesis that the quantity and distribution of abdominal adipose tissue predict premature chemotherapy discontinuation. This cohort study included 533 patients with stage II-III colon cancer who initiated a planned regimen of 24-weeks of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) chemotherapy. The primary exposures were body mass index (BMI) and computed tomography-derived abdominal adiposity measures (e.g., visceral, subcutaneous, and intramuscular adipose tissue). The primary endpoint was premature chemotherapy discontinuation, defined as receiving <6 cycles of FOLFOX. Generalized linear models quantified the relative risk (RR) of premature chemotherapy discontinuation adjusted for age, sex, cancer stage, height, and muscle area, using two-sided statistical tests. Forty-two patients [7.9% (95% CI: 5.7, 10.5)] prematurely discontinued chemotherapy. Visceral adipose tissue [RR: 3.27 (95% CI: 1.26, 8.49)] and intramuscular adipose tissue [RR: 2.79 (95% CI: 1.09, 7.12)] were statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of premature chemotherapy discontinuation. BMI [RR: 2.07 (95% CI: 0.75, 5.73)] and subcutaneous adipose tissue [RR: 2.32 (95% CI: 0.91, 5.94)] were not statistically significantly associated with premature chemotherapy discontinuation. Among patients with stage II-III colon cancer who initiate postoperative chemotherapy, excess visceral and intramuscular adiposity may be risk factors for the premature discontinuation of chemotherapy.

Assessing Visceral Obesity and Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution in Healthy Populations Based on Computed Tomography: A Large Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

ObjectiveAbdominal adipose is closely related to many endocrine and metabolic diseases. The aim of this study was to analyze the distribution of abdominal adipose tissue in a healthy population in northern China determined by abdominal computed tomography (CT).MethodsData for this study were obtained from a multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional study that collected abdominal CT scans of 1787 healthy individuals from 4 representative cities in northern China. Areas of visceral adipose tissue (VATA) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SATA) were obtained by measuring CT images at the level of the 3rd lumbar vertebra. Visceral adipose tissue index (VATI) and subcutaneous adipose index (SATI) were obtained by normalizing the square of height to analyze the distribution of the above indexes and visceral obesity among different body mass index (BMI), gender and age.ResultsThe mean age of this healthy population was 45.3 ± 15.2 years and the mean BMI was 23.5 ± 3.2 kg/m2, with 902 men and 885 women. Compared with women, men had a significantly higher median VATA (120.9 vs. 67.2 cm2), VATI (39.1 vs. 25.6 cm2/m2) and a significantly higher percentage of visceral adiposity (VATA ≥ 100 cm2) (60.8 vs. 30.4%), while women had significantly higher SATA (116.9 vs. 146.7 cm2) and SATI (38.8 vs. 55.8 cm2/m2) than men. Whether men or women, VATI was positively correlated with age. Interestingly, SATI was weakly positively correlated with age in women, while SATI was weakly negatively correlated with age in men. In persons with a normal BMI, the proportion of visceral adiposity increases with age, whereas in men with a normal BMI, the proportion of visceral adiposity decreases after the age of 60 years but remains >50%.ConclusionsThe distribution of abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue parameters measured by CT differed among gender, age, and BMI. Even men and women with normal BMI have a high proportion of visceral obesity.

Abdominal adipose tissue quantification and distribution with CT: prognostic value for surgical and oncological outcome in patients with rectal cancer.

Obesity is a known factor of poor surgical and oncological outcomes in patients who undergo surgery for colorectal cancer. There are physiological differences between abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Evaluation of its quantity and distribution is possible with routine clinical imaging techniques, such as computed tomography. The goal of this study was to explore the associations and find correlations of fat measurements and distribution with surgical morbidity, long-term mortality and disease progression in patients who underwent surgery for rectal cancer. Patients who underwent rectal cancer resection between 2006 and 2016 were included in this retrospective study. Computed tomography fat area measurements were assessed on preoperative computed tomography scans and were compared with postoperative outcomes (local and general complications), long-term survival and oncological response. Of 202 patients included, 50 (25%) died with a median survival time of 34 months, and 152 (75%) were still alive at the end of the study. Death and disease progression were significantly associated with a high intermuscular/subcutaneous fat ratio at the L4-L5 level, with a cut-off established at 0.12 (p < 0.05). Patients with a low (< 1.15) subcutaneous/visceral fat ratio at the L2-L3 level experienced significantly more local complications (p < 0.05). This study suggests that patients with a low subcutaneous fat area/visceral fat area ratio had more local postoperative complications and that a high intermuscular fat area/subcutaneous fat area ratio was associated with worse survival outcomes, as well as a high postoperative complication rate. • A low subcutaneous/visceral fat ratio seems to be associated with more local postsurgery complications in patients with rectal cancer, while a high intermuscular/subcutaneous fat ratio seems to be associated with worse survival and oncological outcomes. • A high intermuscular/subcutaneous fat ratio seems to be associated with worse survival outcomes or progressing disease, as well as a higher postoperative complication rate. • Computed tomography abdominal fat area measurements are correlated with one another on multiple anatomical levels.

Association Between Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Chinese Obese Patients.

PurposeFactors related to the occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in obesity have not been fully clarified. The aim of this study was to identify the association between OSAS and abdominal fat distribution in a cohort of Chinese obese patients.MethodsThis cross-sectional study collected demographic data of 122 obese patients who were admitted into the in-patient unit of the Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital from July 2018 to January 2021. OSAS was diagnosed based on the results of overnight polysomnography, and the abdominal fat distribution was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association between OSAS and the distribution of abdominal fat.Results(1) The mean age (SD) of the obese patients included was 32.44 (11.81) years old, and the overall incidence rate of OSAS was 51.06%. Twenty-four (25.53%) patients had mild OSAS, 10 (10.64%) had moderate OSAS, and 14 (14.89%) had severe OSAS. The apnea hypopnea index (AHI) of men was significantly higher than that of women (5.50, interquartile range (IQR) 3.80–30.6 vs. 4.2, IQR 1.4–12 events/h, p = 0.014). Meanwhile, men had a significantly higher visceral fat area when compared with women (180.29 ± 51.64 vs. 143.88 ± 53.42 cm2, p = 0.002). (2) Patients with OSAS had a significantly higher waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, 2 h postprandial plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and visceral fat area than patients without OSAS (all p < 0.05). (3) AHI was significantly positively associated with BMI, neck circumference, waist circumference, and visceral fat area (r = 0.306, p = 0.003; r = 0.380, p < 0.001; r = 0.328, p = 0.002; r = 0.420, p < 0.001) but not with subcutaneous fat area (p = 0.094). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that abdominal fat area and fasting plasma glucose were independent risk factors for OSAS (odds ratio, 1.016; 95% confidence interval, 1.005–1,026, p = 0.005; odds ratio, 1.618; 95% confidence interval, 1.149–2.278, p = 0.006).ConclusionsIn obese patients, the abdominal visceral adipose deposit but not the subcutaneous fat area was associated with OSAS and was an independent risk factor for OSAS. Therefore, improving the distribution of abdominal fat may contribute to alleviating the severity of OSAS in obesity.

Association Between Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution and Risk of Endometrial Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Obesity contributes to endometrial cancer (EC). However, it is not clear whether the distribution of adipose tissue affects the occurrence of endometrial carcinoma. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between abdominal adipose tissue distribution and EC. We designed a case-control study with 115 women with EC and a control group. The total abdominal adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue, and subcutaneous adipose tissue were measured by single slice computerized tomography at the level of umbilicus. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the risk of EC associated with adipose tissue distribution. Furthermore, we analyzed the correlation between adipose tissue distribution and clinicopathologic features of endometrial carcinoma. Multivariate analysis showed that a larger visceral adipose tissue ratio was associated with an increased risk of EC after adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and diabetes (OR = 1.046, 95% confidence interval = [1.008-1.079]). The ratio of International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) stage I and type I EC was higher in EC patients with larger visceral adipose tissue (84.5% vs 63.2%, P = .009; 91.4% vs 75.4%, P = .021). There was a higher positive ratio of progesterone receptor in EC patients with a larger subcutaneous adipose tissue area (91.2% vs 77.6%; P = .044). Higher visceral adipose tissue ratio, independent of BMI, was associated with an increased risk of EC. Therefore, this study demonstrated that women with normal BMI, but abnormal abdominal adipose tissue distribution, have an increased risk for EC.

Determinants of cord blood adipokines and association with neonatal abdominal adipose tissue distribution

BackgroundCord blood leptin and adiponectin are adipokines known to be associated with birth weight and overall infant adiposity. However, few studies have investigated their associations with abdominal adiposity in neonates. We examined maternal factors associated with cord blood leptin and adiponectin, and the association of these adipokines with neonatal adiposity and abdominal fat distribution measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in an Asian mother–offspring cohort.MethodsGrowing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO), is a prospective mother–offspring birth cohort study in Singapore. Cord blood plasma leptin and adiponectin concentrations were measured using Luminex and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay respectively in 816 infants. A total of 271 neonates underwent MRI within the first 2-weeks after delivery. Abdominal superficial (sSAT), deep subcutaneous (dSAT), and intra-abdominal (IAT) adipose tissue compartment volumes were quantified from MRI images. Multivariable regression analyses were performed.ResultsIndian or Malay ethnicity, female sex, and gestational age were positively associated with cord blood leptin and adiponectin concentrations. Maternal gestational diabetes (GDM) positively associated with cord blood leptin concentrations but inversely associated with cord blood adiponectin concentrations. Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) showed a positive relationship with cord blood leptin but not with adiponectin concentrations. Each SD increase in cord blood leptin was associated with higher neonatal sSAT, dSAT and IAT; differences in SD (95% CI): 0.258 (0.142, 0.374), 0.386 (0.254, 0.517) and 0.250 (0.118, 0.383), respectively. Similarly, each SD increase in cord blood adiponectin was associated with higher neonatal sSAT and dSAT; differences in SD (95% CI): 0.185 (0.096, 0.274) and 0.173 (0.067, 0.278), respectively. The association between cord blood adiponectin and neonatal adiposity was observed in neonates of obese mothers only.ConclusionsCord blood leptin and adiponectin concentrations were associated with ethnicity, maternal BMI and GDM, sex and gestational age. Both adipokines showed positive association with neonatal abdominal adiposity.

Ultrasound estimated subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses and risk of pre-eclampsia

Early identification of high-risk pregnancies enables identification of those who would benefit from aspirin prophylaxis and increased surveillance for pre-eclampsia. A high body mass index (BMI) is a well-known predictor for pre-eclampsia. However, if abdominal adipose tissue distribution is associated with pre-eclampsia is limited investigated. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) thickness and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) thickness were measured by ultrasound on 3777 women at around 18 gestational weeks. SAT thickness was measured from the skin to linea alba and VAT from linea alba to the anterior aortic wall. The risk of developing pre-eclampsia (de novo hypertension at ≥ 20 gestational weeks in combination with proteinuria) was evaluated by logistic regression and expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The risk of pre-eclampsia increased by 79% for every cm in SAT thickness (OR 1.79; 95% CI 1.48–2.17) and by 23% for every cm VAT thickness (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.11–1.35). After adjustment for maternal age, parity, BMI, smoking and country of birth, the association between SAT thickness and pre-eclampsia remained (AOR 1.35; 95% CI 1.02–1.79). Greater SAT thickness measured with second trimester ultrasound is associated with increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia. The measurement may improve prediction models for pre-eclampsia.

Relationship Between Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Abdominal and Pericardial Adipose Tissue in Middle-Aged and Elderly Subjects.

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to explore the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and abdominal and pericardial adipose tissue in middle-aged and elderly subjects.MethodsBetween July 2019 and July 2020, 471 subjects attending the Health Care Medical Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital for a medical examination were enrolled in the study. The volume and distribution of abdominal adipose tissue together with the volume of pericardial adipose tissue were calculated according to the results of the abdominal computed tomography. The differences between subjects with NAFLD and the normal population were analyzed.ResultsThe volume of pericardial adipose tissue, abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, the total volume of abdominal adipose tissue, and volume of pelvic visceral adipose tissue were all significantly increased in subjects with NAFLD. For every 100 cm3 increase in the volume of abdominal visceral adipose tissue, the incidence of developing NAFLD increased by 9.4%. According to the results of the receiver operating curve, the cut-off point of abdominal visceral adipose tissue for the diagnosis of NAFLD was 2691.1 cm3.ConclusionOverall, the risk of NAFLD increases significantly with the increase in the volume of adipose tissue.

Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Reduction in Patients with Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Peritumoral Collateral Vessels: A Retrospective Observational Study

Background: peritumoral collateral vessels adjacent to renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can be encountered in clinical practice. Cancer cachexia is defined as a decrease of adipose and skeletal muscle tissues. In this study we evaluated, using a quantitative CT imaging-based approach, the distribution of abdominal adipose tissue in clear cell RCC (ccRCC) male patients with and without collateral vessels. Methods: between November 2019 and February 2020, in this retrospective study we enrolled 106 ccRCC male Caucasian patients divided into two groups: a ccRCCa group without collateral vessels (n = 48) and a ccRCCp group with collateral vessels (n = 58). The total adipose tissue (TAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) areas were measured in both groups. Moreover, the VAT/SAT ratio was calculated for each subject. Results: a statistically significant difference between the two groups was found in the SAT area (p &lt; 0.05), while no significant differences were found in the TAT area, VAT area and VAT/SAT ratio. Conclusion: this study demonstrates a reduction of SAT in ccRCC patients with peritumoral collateral vessels.

Pancreatic enzymes and abdominal adipose tissue distribution in new-onset prediabetes/diabetes after acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUNDNew-onset prediabetes/diabetes after acute pancreatitis (NODAP) is the most common sequela of pancreatitis, and it differs from type 2 prediabetes/diabetes mellitus (T2DM).AIMTo study the associations between circulating levels of pancreatic amylase, pancreatic lipase, chymotrypsin and fat phenotypes in NODAP, T2DM, and health. METHODSIndividuals with NODAP (n = 30), T2DM (n = 30), and sex-matched healthy individuals (n = 30) were included. Five fat phenotypes (intra-pancreatic fat, liver fat, skeletal muscle fat, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat) were determined using the same magnetic resonance imaging protocol and scanner magnet strength for all participants. One-way analysis of covariance, linear regression analysis, and relative importance analysis were conducted.RESULTSIntra-pancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) was higher in NODAP (9.4% ± 1.8%) and T2DM (9.8% ± 1.1%) compared with healthy controls (7.8% ± 1.9%) after adjusting for covariates (P = 0.003). Similar findings were observed in regards to visceral fat volume (P = 0.005), but not subcutaneous fat volume, liver fat, or skeletal muscle fat. Both IPFD (β = -2.201, P = 0.023) and visceral fat volume (β = -0.004, P = 0.028) were significantly associated with circulating levels of pancreatic amylase in NODAP, but not in T2DM or healthy individuals. Of the five fat phenotypes, IPFD explained the highest amount of variance in pancreatic amylase concentration (R2 = 15.3% out of 41.2%). None of the phenotypes contributed meaningfully to the variance in pancreatic lipase or chymotrypsin.CONCLUSIONBoth NODAP and T2DM are characterized by increased IPFD and visceral fat volume. However, only NODAP is characterized by significant inverse associations between the two fat phenotypes and pancreatic amylase.

Segmentation of Visceral Adipose Tissue causing Central Obesity using Deep Learning on Abdominal MRI

In recent years, obesity is highly prevalent and is related with increased risk of many diseases. The distribution of abdominal adipose tissue plays a major role to assess central obesity. The basic objective of this study is to develop a novel method for automatic segmentation of visceral adipose tissue(VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue(SAT) from abdominal Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) slices which is implemented in two steps. First, clustering of image is done to classify MR image into adipose tissue and non-adipose tissue. Second, after clustering the image, segmentation is done to separate VAT and SAT by a convolutional deep neural network. Sixty five MR images have been used in this study where deep learning techniquet have been adopted for the segmentation of VAT and SAT. The proposed and the manual measurements produced the Dice scores of 0.97 and 0.96 for SAT and VAT respectively. The experimental results show that the deep learning method produces better segmentation results with high accuracy.

The Relationship Between Colorectal Cancer and Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution

Aim: To examine the relationship between obesity and the subcutaneous, visceral and retroperitoneal adipose tissue thicknesses of the abdomen. Materials and Methods: The study included 62 control and 68 colorectal cancer patients. Abdominal computed tomography of the patients, which were taken within the last 6 months before preoperative or colonoscopic examination were evaluated. Colorectal cancer patients were divided into two groups as proximal and distal according to tumor localization. Subcutaneous, visceral and retroperitoneal adipose tissue thicknesses of the abdomen were measured using abdominal computed tomography scans. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the colorectal cancer group and the control group in terms of body mass index, retroperitoneal and visceral adipose tissue thickness and gender (p=0.091; 0.246; 0.531; 0.190,respectively). The mean age of the colorectal cancer group was higher (p&amp;lt;0.001). The mean subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness of the control group was higher (p=0.045). There was no statistically significant difference between the proximal and distal colorectal cancer group in terms of age, retroperitoneal, subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thickness (p=0.734; 0.916; 0.800; 0.170, respectively). The mean body mass index of the group with distal mass was higher (p=0.028). The proportion of males was higher in the group with distal mass than in the group with proximal mass (p=0.024). Conclusion: In the risky population evaluating the adipose tissue in the abdomen and its distribution before the colorectal cancer is diagnosed or the symptoms develop will indicate which patients should be followed up in more detail and help to prevent more cases of colorectal cancer.

Implications of Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Syndrome: A Chinese General Population Study.

INTRODUCTION:Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) has been found to play a critical role in the development of metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) independent of generalized obesity.METHODS:In this secondary study of prospectively acquired data, 625 participants underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopy and chemical shift fat–water separation MRI (2-point Dixon) of the liver and whole abdomen, respectively, in a 3 Tesla magnet. Whole abdominal VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were extracted from the 2-point Dixon image series using an automated method. Clinical/anthropometric/blood biochemistry parameters were measured. Using region-specific body mass index, participants were classified into 3 paired subgroups (lean, overweight, and obese) and presence of NAFLD (liver fat content ≥ 5.5%).RESULTS:All relevant clinical/anthropometric/blood biochemistry characteristics and liver enzymes were statistically significant between groups (P < 0.001). NAFLD was found in 12.1%, 43.8%, and 68.3% and metabolic syndrome in 51.1%, 61.9%, and 65% of the lean, overweight, and obese, respectively. Odds ratio for metabolic syndrome and NAFLD was increased by 2.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.18–3.40) and 2.53 (95% CI 2.04–3.12), respectively, for 1SD increase in VAT volume while prevalence of metabolic syndrome was increased by 2.26 (95% CI 1.83–2.79) for 1SD increase in liver fat content (%). VAT/SAT ratio in the lean with fatty liver showed the highest ratio (0.54) among all the subgroups, without a significant difference between the lean and obese with NAFLD (P = 0.127).DISCUSSION:Increased VAT volume/disproportional distribution of VAT/SAT may be vital drivers to the development of metabolic syndrome and NAFLD irrespective of body mass index category.

Relationship between visceral adipose tissue and genetic mutations (VHL and KDM5C) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

The sequencing of the renal cell carcinoma (RCC) genome has detected several mutations with prognostic meaning. The association between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is well known. The relationship among abdominal adipose tissue distribution and ccRCC-VHL and KDM5C genetic mutations is, to the knowledge of the authors, not known. In this retrospective study, we enrolled 97 Caucasian male patients divided into three groups: the control group (n = 35), the ccRCC-VHL group (n = 52) composed of ccRCC patients with VHL mutations and ccRCC-KDM5C group (n = 10) composed of ccRCC patients with KDM5C mutation. Total adipose tissue (TAT) area, VAT area and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) area were measured in the groups. VAT/SAT ratio was calculated for each subject. Statistically significant differences between ccRCC-KDM5C group and ccRCC-VHL group were obtained for TAT area (p < 0.05), VAT area (p < 0.05) and VAT/SAT ratio (p < 0.05); between ccRCC-VHL group and control group for TAT area (p < 0.001) and VAT area (p < 0.01); and between ccRCC-KDM5C group and control group for TAT area (p < 0.0001), VAT area (p < 0.0001) and SAT area (p < 0.01). This study demonstrates for the first time an increased amount of TAT, especially VAT, in the ccRCC-VHL and ccRCC-KDM5C groups. The effect was greater for the ccRCC-KDM5C group.