CT-Derived Body Fat Distribution and Incident Cardiovascular Disease: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Dose-response association between Chinese visceral adiposity index and cardiovascular disease: a national prospective cohort study

Background

Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) is a reliable visceral obesity index, but the association between CVAI and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. We explored the associations of CVAI with incident CVD, heart disease, and stroke and compared the predictive power of CVAI with other obesity indices based on a national cohort study.

Methods

The present study included 7,439 participants aged ≥45 years from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Cox regression models were applied to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted cubic splines analyses were adopted to model the dose-response associations. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to compare the predictive ability of different obesity indices (CVAI, visceral adiposity index [VAI], a body shape index [ABSI], conicity index [CI], waist circumference [WC], and body mass index [BMI]).

Results

During 7 years' follow-up, 1,326 incident CVD, 1,032 incident heart disease, and 399 stroke cases were identified. The HRs (95% CI) of CVD, heart disease, and stroke were 1.50 (1.25-1.79), 1.29 (1.05-1.57), and 2.45 (1.74-3.45) for quartile 4 versus quartile 1 in CVAI. Linear associations of CVAI with CVD, heart disease, and stroke were observed (P nonlinear >0.05) and per-standard deviation (SD) increase was associated with 17% (HR 1.17, 1.10-1.24), 12% (1.12, 1.04-1.20), and 31% (1.31, 1.18-1.46) increased risk, respectively. Per-SD increase in CVAI conferred higher risk in participants aged<60 years than those aged ≥60 years (P interaction<0.05). ROC analyses showed that CVAI had higher predictive value than other obesity indices (P<0.05).

Conclusions

CVAI was linearly associated with risk of CVD, heart disease, and stroke and had best performance for predicting incident CVD. Our findings indicate CVAI as a reliable and applicable obesity index to identify higher risk of CVD.

The pathophysiology of visceral adipose tissues in cardiometabolic diseases

Central pattern of fat distribution, especially fat accumulation within the intraabdominal cavity increases risks for cardiometabolic diseases. Portal hypothesis combined with a pathological remodeling in visceral fat is considered the major etiological factor explaining the independent contribution of visceral obesity to cardiometabolic diseases. Excessive remodeling in visceral fat during development of obesity leads to dysfunctions in the depot, characterized by hypertrophy and death of adipocytes, hypoxia, inflammation, and fibrosis. Dysfunctional visceral fat secretes elevated levels of fatty acids, glycerol, and proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines into the portal vein directly impacting the liver, the central regulator of systemic metabolism. These metabolic and endocrine products induce ectopic fat accumulation, insulin resistance, inflammation, and fibrosis in the liver, which in turn causes or exacerbates systemic metabolic derangements. Elucidation of underlying mechanisms that lead to the pathological remodeling and higher degree of dysfunctions in visceral adipose tissue is therefore, critical for the development of therapeutics to prevent deleterious sequelae in obesity. We review depot differences in metabolic and endocrine properties and expendabilities as well as underlying mechanisms that contribute to the pathophysiological aspects of visceral adiposity in cardiometabolic diseases. We also discuss impacts of different weight loss interventions on visceral adiposity and cardiometabolic diseases.

Association of Anthropometric and CT-Based Obesity Indices with Subclinical Atherosclerosis

AIM

Few studies have compared the strength in the associations of anthropometric and computed tomography (CT)-based obesity indices with coronary artery calcification (CAC), aortic artery calcification (AoAC), and aortic valve calcification (AVC).

METHODS

We assessed cross-sectcional associations of anthropometric and CT-based obesity indices with CAC, AoAC, and AVC. Anthropometric measures included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip ircumference, waist-to-hip circumference ratio, and waist-to-height ratio in 931 men (mean age, 63.7 years) from a population-based cohort. CT images at the L4/5 level were obtained to calculate the areas of abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), total adipose tissue (TAT), VAT-to-SAT ratio (VSR), and VAT-to-TAT ratio (VTR). CAC, AoAC, and AVC were quantified using the Agatston score based on CT scanning.

RESULTS

CAC, AVC, and AoAC were present in 348 (62.6%), 173 (18.6%), and 769 (82.6%) participants, respectively. In multivariable models adjusting for age, lifestyle factors, and CT types (electron beam CT and multidetector row CT), anthropometric and CT-based obesity indices were positively associated with CAC (p＜0.01). Conversely, VAT-to-SAT ratio and VAT-to-TAT ratio were positively associated with AoAC (p＜0.01). Any obesity indices were not associated with AVC.

CONCLUSIONS

The strength of the associations of obesity indices with subclinical atherosclerosis varied according to the anatomically distinct atherosclerotic lesions, among men.

Visceral obesity determined in routine preoperative CT scans predicts risk of postoperative burst abdomen

Burst abdomen (BA) remains a severe postoperative complication after abdominal surgery. Obesity is a known risk factor for postoperative complications but objective parameters such as body mass index fail to predict BA after abdominal surgery. In recent literature, CT-derived body composition assessment could predict obesity-related diseases and surgical site infections. We report data from the institutional wound register, comparing patients with BA to a subgroup of patients without BA. The CT images were evaluated for intraabdominal and subcutaneous fat tissues. Univariate and multivariate risk factor analysis was performed in order to evaluate CT-derived obesity parameters as risk factor for BA. 92 patients with BA were compared to 32 controls. Patients with BA had significantly more visceral obesity (VO; p < 0.001) but less subcutaneous obesity (SCO) on CT scans. VO and SCO both were positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.452 and 0.572) but VO and SCO were inversely correlated (r = -0.189). Multivariate analysis revealed VO as significant risk factor for postoperative BA (OR 1.257; 95% CI 1.084-1.459; p = 0.003). Our analysis of patients with postoperative BA revealed VO as major risk factor for postoperative BA. Thus, preoperative CT scans gives valuable information on possible risk stratification.

Long-term aspartame and saccharin intakes are related to greater volumes of visceral, intermuscular, and subcutaneous adipose tissue: the CARDIA study

BACKGROUND

Artificial sweetener (ArtSw) intakes have been previously associated with higher BMI in observational studies and may promote visceral and skeletal muscle adipose tissue (AT) accumulation. This study aimed to determine whether habitual, long-term ArtSw or diet beverage intakes are related to greater AT depot volumes and anthropometry-related outcomes.

METHODS

A validated diet history questionnaire was administered at baseline, year 7, and year 20 examinations in 3088 men and women enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults cohort (CARDIA), mean age of 25.2 years and mean BMI of 24.5 kg/m2 at baseline. Volumes of visceral (VAT), intermuscular (IMAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were assessed by computed tomography at year 25. Linear regression evaluated associations of aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, total ArtSw, and diet beverage intakes with AT volumes, anthropometric measures, and 25-year change in anthropometry. Cox regression estimated associations of ArtSw with obesity incidence. Adjustments were made for demographic and lifestyle factors, total energy intake, and the 2015 healthy eating index.

RESULTS

Total ArtSw, aspartame, saccharin, and diet beverage intakes were positively associated with VAT, SAT, and IMAT volumes (all ptrend ≤ 0.001), but no associations were observed for sucralose intake (all ptrend > 0.05). In addition, total ArtSw, saccharin, aspartame, and diet beverage intakes were associated with greater body mass index, body weight, waist circumference, and their increases over a 25-year period. Except for saccharin (ptrend = 0.13), ArtSw, including diet soda, was associated with greater risks of incident obesity over a median 17.5-year follow-up (all ptrend < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that long-term intakes of aspartame, saccharin, or diet soda may increase AT deposition and risk of incident obesity independent of diet quality or caloric intake. Coupled with previous evidence, alternatives to national recommendations to replace added sugar with ArtSw should be considered since both may have health consequences.

Computed tomographic abdominal fat volume estimation - a handy tool to predict the risk of metabolic syndrome

Purpose

Abdominal obesity plays a significant role in the development of metabolic syndrome, with individual metabolic risk profiles for visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues. This study aimed to calculate and correlate the subcutaneous, visceral, and total fat compartment volume in metabolic and non-metabolic syndrome patients.

Material and methods

This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 112 patients categorized into Group A (with metabolic syndrome) and Group B (without metabolic syndrome). They were subjected to computed tomography (CT) study of the abdomen using a 128-slice MDCT scanner. Body mass index (BMI), visceral fat volume (VFV), subcutaneous fat volume (SFV), and total fat volume (TFV) were calculated and correlated with biochemical evidence of metabolic syndrome.

Results

The mean age of patients in Group A was 60.91 ± 12.23 years as compared to Group B, which was 50.12 ± 16.30 years. Overall, a male predominance was observed, i.e. 69 cases (61.6%). BMI was proven to be an inaccurate risk predictor. However, mean VFV, SFV, and TFV was statistically higher in patients with metabolic syndrome (p = 0.001), with visceral fat volume predicting a higher risk in females (p = 0.026).

Conclusions

Abdominal CT is a commonly performed yet unexplored tool for the risk assessment of metabolic syndrome. Through the results obtained in this study, we have proven the need for calculating SFV, VFV, and TFV as predictors of metabolic syndrome in comparison to the conventional practice of BMI assessment. The radiologist can thus work with the clinician to effectively detect and treat this health condition.

BMI, insulin sensitivity, and cognition in early type 2 diabetes: The Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the association of BMI and insulin sensitivity with cognitive performance in type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis of data from the baseline assessment of the Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: a Comparative Effectiveness Study (GRADE) was conducted. BMI was used as a surrogate of adiposity and the Matsuda index as the measure of insulin sensitivity. Cognitive tests included the Spanish English Verbal Learning Test, the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, and the letter and animal fluency tests.

RESULTS

Cognitive assessments were completed by 5018 (99.4%) of 5047 participants aged 56.7 ± 10.0 years, of whom 36.4% were female. Higher BMI and lower insulin sensitivity were related to better performance on memory and verbal fluency tests. In models including BMI and insulin sensitivity simultaneously, only higher BMI was related to better cognitive performance.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, higher BMI and lower insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes were cross-sectionally associated with better cognitive performance. However, only higher BMI was related to cognitive performance when both BMI and insulin sensitivity were considered simultaneously. The causality and mechanisms for this association need to be determined in future studies.

Comparison of cardiovascular disease risk in women with and without breast cancer: secondary data analysis with the 2014-2018 korean national health and nutrition examination survey

BACKGROUND

Aging breast cancer survivors may be at an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but little is known about CVD risk assessment and breast cancer in Korean women. We hypothesized that Korean breast cancer survivors would have higher risks of future CVD within the next 10 years (i.e., Framingham Risk Score [FRS]) than women without cancer.

OBJECTIVES

(1) To compare FRS-based CVD risks in women with and without breast cancer based on propensity score matching; and (2) To explore adiposity-related measures in relation to FRS in Korean women with breast cancer.

METHODS

Using the cross-sectional data from the 2014-2018 Korean National Health and National Survey (KNHANES), we identified 136 women with breast cancer aged 30-74 years who had no other cancer and no CVD. The comparison group of 544 women with no cancer were selected by 1:4 nearest-neighbor propensity score matching based on breast cancer diagnosis. CVD risk was assessed by FRS based on multiple traditional risk factors (e.g., cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking). Adiposity was measured by physical examination, including body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Physical activity and health behaviors were assessed by self-reports.

RESULTS

Women with breast cancer (mean age of 57 years) had similar FRS levels at a low-risk category (< 10%) to women with no cancer (4.9% vs. 5.5%). Breast cancer survivors (mean 8.5 survival years) presented at significantly lower levels of total cholesterol, BMI, and WHtR (all p values < 0.05) than their counterpart. Within the breast cancer group, WHtR ≥ 0.5 was associated with higher FRS, compared to WHtR < 0.5. FRS was not different by survival < 5 years or ≥ 5 years after breast cancer diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

FRS-based CVD risks were not different in Korean, mostly postmenopausal, women by breast cancer status. Whereas breast cancer survivors had even lower levels of lipid and adiposity measures than women without cancer, those values indicating borderline cardiometabolic risk suggest continued screening and management efforts for these aging women. Future studies are needed to examine longitudinal trajectories of CVD risk factors and CVD outcomes among Korean breast cancer survivors.

Normal-weight visceral obesity promotes a higher 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus-a multicenter study in China

BACKGROUND

Visceral obesity is associated with high cardiovascular events risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Whether normal-weight visceral obesity will pose a higher atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk than body mass index (BMI)-defined overweight or obese counterparts with or without visceral obesity remains unclear. We aimed to explore the relationship between general obesity and visceral obesity and 10-year ASCVD risk in patients with T2DM.

METHODS

Patients with T2DM (6997) who satisfied the requirements for inclusion were enrolled. Patients were considered to have normal weight when 18.5 kg/m² ≤ BMI < 24 kg/m²; overweight when 24 kg/m² ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m²; and obesity when BMI ≥ 28 kg/m². Visceral obesity was defined as a visceral fat area (VFA) ≥ 100 cm². Patients were separated into six groups based on BMI and VFA. The odd ratios (OR) for a high 10-year ASCVD risk for different combinations of BMI and VFA were analysed using stepwise logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for diagnosing the high 10-year ASCVD risk were constructed, and areas under the ROC curves were estimated. Potential non-linear relationships between VFA levels and high 10-year ASCVD risk were examined using restricted cubic splines (knot = 4). Multilinear regression was used to identify factors affecting VFA in patients with T2DM.

RESULTS

In patients with T2DM, subjects with normal-weight visceral obesity had the highest 10-year ASCVD risk among the six groups, which had more than a 2-fold or 3-fold higher OR than those who were overweight or obese according to BMI but did not have visceral obesity (all P < 0.05). The VFA threshold for high 10-year ASCVD risk was 90 cm². Multilinear regression showed significant differences in the effect of age, hypertension, drinking, fasting serum insulin, fasting plasma glucose, 2 h postprandial C-peptide, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol on VFA in patients with T2DM (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

T2DM patients with normal-weight visceral obesity had a higher 10-year ASCVD risk than BMI-defined overweight or obese counterparts with or without visceral obesity, which should initiate standardised management for ASCVD primary prevention.

Gender-specific data-driven adiposity subtypes using deep-learning-based abdominal CT segmentation

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to quantify abdominal adiposity and generate data-driven adiposity subtypes with different diabetes risks.

METHODS

A total of 3817 participants from the Pinggu Metabolic Disease Study were recruited. A deep-learning-based recognition model on abdominal computed tomography (CT) images (A-CT model) was developed and validated in 100 randomly selected cases. The volumes and proportions of subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, liver fat, and muscle fat were automatically recognized in all cases. K-means clustering was used to identify subgroups using the proportions of the four fat components.

RESULTS

The Dice indices among the measurements assessed by the A-CT model and manual evaluation to detect liver fat, muscle fat, and subcutaneous fat areas were 0.96, 0.95, and 0.92, respectively. Three subtypes were generated separately in men and women: visceral fat dominant type (VFD); subcutaneous fat dominant type (SFD); and intermuscular fat dominant type (MFD). Compared with the SFD group, the MFD group had similar diabetes risk, and the VFD group had a 60% higher diabetes risk when age and BMI were adjusted for in men. The adjusted odds ratio for diabetes was 1.92 (95% CI: 1.32-2.78) in the MFD group and 6.14 (95% CI: 4.18-9.03) in the VFD group in women.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified gender-specific abdominal adiposity subgroups, which may help clinicians to distinguish diabetes risk quickly and automatically.

Association Between Measures of Body Composition and Coronary Calcium: Findings From the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background Obesity, as measured by body mass index, is widely recognized as a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. However, the role of body composition components such as fat and lean mass is not well studied. Methods and Results A total of 3129 patients who underwent computed tomography scans for quantification of coronary artery calcification and had bioelectrical impedance analysis of body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass) during exam 5 of MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Multivariable adjusted linear regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between both fat mass and fat-free mass to prevalent coronary artery calcification, a marker of subclinical coronary artery disease quantified by both the coronary artery calcification (CAC) Agatston score and the spatially weighted calcium score. CAC and spatially weighted calcium score were natural log-transformed for analysis as continuous variables. Fat-free mass, but not fat mass, was independently associated with CAC. There was a 7.6% prevalence risk difference for CAC>0 per 10 kg. Fat-free mass was also significantly associated with natural log of CAC (coefficient=0.272, P<0.001). Both fat-free mass and fat mass were positively associated with natural log of spatially weighted calcium score, with risk difference coefficients of 0.729 and 0.359, respectively (P<0.001). Conclusions In this cross-sectional study, higher lean mass by bioelectrical impedance analysis and, to a lesser extent, higher fat mass by bioelectrical impedance analysis were significantly associated with higher coronary calcium, a marker of subclinical cardiovascular disease. Further exploration of the relationship between components of body composition and the development of cardiovascular disease is warranted.

Utility of Normalized Body Composition Areas, Derived From Outpatient Abdominal CT Using a Fully Automated Deep Learning Method, for Predicting Subsequent Cardiovascular Events

BACKGROUND. CT-based body composition (BC) measurements have historically been too resource intensive to analyze for widespread use and have lacked robust comparison with traditional weight metrics for predicting cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to determine whether BC measurements obtained from routine CT scans by use of a fully automated deep learning algorithm could predict subsequent cardiovascular events independently from weight, BMI, and additional cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS. This retrospective study included 9752 outpatients (5519 women and 4233 men; mean age, 53.2 years; 890 patients self-reported their race as Black and 8862 self-reported their race as White) who underwent routine abdominal CT at a single health system from January 2012 through December 2012 and who were given no major cardiovascular or oncologic diagnosis within 3 months of undergoing CT. Using publicly available code, fully automated deep learning BC analysis was performed at the L3 vertebral body level to determine three BC areas (skeletal muscle area [SMA], visceral fat area [VFA], and subcutaneous fat area [SFA]). Age-, sex-, and race-normalized reference curves were used to generate z scores for the three BC areas. Subsequent myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke was determined from the electronic medical record. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine hazard ratios (HRs) for MI or stroke within 5 years after CT for the three BC area z scores, with adjustment for normalized weight, normalized BMI, and additional cardiovascular risk factors (smoking status, diabetes diagnosis, and systolic blood pressure). RESULTS. In multivariable models, age-, race-, and sex-normalized VFA was associated with subsequent MI risk (HR of highest quartile compared with lowest quartile, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.03-1.67], p = .04 for overall effect) and stroke risk (HR of highest compared with lowest quartile, 1.46 [95% CI, 1.07-2.00], p = .04 for overall effect). In multivariable models, normalized SMA, SFA, weight, and BMI were not associated with subsequent MI or stroke risk. CONCLUSION. VFA derived from fully automated and normalized analysis of abdominal CT examinations predicts subsequent MI or stroke in Black and White patients, independent of traditional weight metrics, and should be considered an adjunct to BMI in risk models. CLINICAL IMPACT. Fully automated and normalized BC analysis of abdominal CT has promise to augment traditional cardiovascular risk prediction models.

Relationships of adiponectin to regional adiposity, insulin sensitivity, serum lipids, and inflammatory markers in sedentary and endurance-trained Japanese young women

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to compare the differences in circulating adiponectin levels and their relationships to regional adiposity, insulin resistance, serum lipid, and inflammatory factors in young, healthy Japanese women with different physical activity statuses.

METHODS

Adipokines (adiponectin and leptin), full serum lipid, and inflammatory factors [white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)] were measured in 101 sedentary and 100 endurance-trained healthy Japanese women (aged 18-23 years). Insulin sensitivity was obtained through a quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI). Regional adiposity [trunk fat mass (TFM), lower-body fat mass (LFM), and arm fat mass (AFM)] was evaluated using the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry method.

RESULTS

No significant difference was observed between the sedentary and trained women in terms of adiponectin levels. The LFM-to-TFM ratio and the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were the strong positive determinants for adiponectin in both groups. Triglyceride in the sedentary women was closely and negatively associated with adiponectin, as well as PAI-1 in the trained women. The QUICKI level was higher in the trained than sedentary women. However, no significant correlation between adiponectin and insulin sensitivity was detected in both groups. Furthermore, LFM was associated with a favorable lipid profile against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the whole study cohort, but this association became insignificant when adiponectin was taken into account.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that adiponectin is primarily associated with regional adiposity and HDL-C regardless of insulin sensitivity and physical activity status in young, healthy women. The associations among adiponectin, lipid, and inflammatory factors are likely different in women with different physical activity statuses. The correlation of LFM and a favorable lipid profile against CVD and adiponectin is likely involved in this association.

Association of Body Fluid Volumes and Body Fat Distribution with Abnormal Ankle-Brachial Index

Background

Ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a simple, non-invasive and easy-to-obtain measure for the evaluation of atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This study aimed to investigate the relationships between body fluid volumes, body composition, body fat distribution and ABI at a population perspective.

Results

Using the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data (NHANES) during 1999–2000, 2001–2002, and 2003–2004, adults ≥ 40 years old were eligible for inclusion. Univariate and multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the associations between ABI, body fluid volume and body composition assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and body fat distribution assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). After exclusion, the final analytic sample contained 1535 participants who were representative of totally 28,572,458 subjects in the US. After adjustments for relevant confounders, estimated fat mass was significantly and inversely associated with ABI (beta: − 0.0009, 95% CI = − 0.0015, − 0.0003). Total percent fat (beta: − 0.0024, 95% CI = − 0.0033, − 0.0014), trunk percent fat (beta: − 0.0016, 95% CI = − 0.0023, − 0.0009), and percent fat at the four limbs were also significantly and inversely associated with ABI (p < 0.001). In addition, subjects with higher estimated fat mass, total percent fat, trunk percent fat and higher percent fat at the four limbs were all significantly more likely to have abnormal ABI < 0.9. No significant association between parameters of body fluid volume and abnormal ABI was observed.

Conclusions

Estimated fat mass, total percent fat, trunk percent fat and percent fat at the four limbs were significantly and inversely associated with ABI. Subjects with abnormal ABI are more likely to have higher total percent fat, trunk percent fat and the limb fat. These findings fill the knowledge gap on the relationships between atherosclerosis and body fat distribution. Further well-designed prospective studies are needed to confirm the present findings.

Relationship of American Heart Association's Life Simple 7, Ectopic Fat, and Insulin Resistance in 5 Racial/Ethnic Groups

BACKGROUND

The inverse association between ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) as measured by the American Heart Association's Life Simple 7 (LS7) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence is well documented. However, research exploring the association between CVH and specific risk factors for cardiometabolic disease is sparse in diverse cohorts.

METHODS

This study included 7717 participants from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis cohorts. We assigned each LS7 component a 0, 1, and 2 and summed these scores to derive an overall CVH score. Visceral, subcutaneous, and intermuscular fat area, pericardial fat volume, and hepatic fat attenuation were measured using noncontrast computed tomography. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations between CVH categories and each log-transformed ectopic fat depot, as well as the homeostatic assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).

RESULTS

In adjusted analysis, compared to those with ideal CVH, participants with poor CVH demonstrated 63.4% (95% CI, 54.3-73.0) higher visceral fat area, 84.0% (95% CI, 76.5-92.1) higher pericardial fat volume, 61.6% (95% CI, 50.7-73.2) higher subcutaneous fat area, and 40.6% (95% CI, 30.2-52.0) higher intermuscular fat area, and 15.1% (95% CI, 13.1-17.2) higher hepatic fat (all Ps < 0.001). Also, poor CVH was associated with 148.2% (95% CI, 131.1-166.7) higher HOMA-IR. We also found significant heterogeneity in the strengths of association by race/ethnicity for each ectopic fat depot.

CONCLUSION

Poor and intermediate CVH, as defined by LS7 metrics, were associated with significantly higher measures of ectopic fat and insulin resistance among individuals from 5 racial/ethnic groups.

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

Objective

Abdominal 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).

Methods

Data 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.

Results

The 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%.

Conclusions

The 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.

Effects of Experimental Sleep Restriction on Energy Intake, Energy Expenditure, and Visceral Obesity

BACKGROUND

Although the consequences of sleep deficiency for obesity risk are increasingly apparent, experimental evidence is limited and there are no studies on body fat distribution.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of experimentally-induced sleep curtailment in the setting of free access to food on energy intake, energy expenditure, and regional body composition.

METHODS

Twelve healthy, nonobese individuals (9 males, age range 19 to 39 years) completed a randomized, controlled, crossover, 21-day inpatient study comprising 4 days of acclimation, 14 days of experimental sleep restriction (4 hour sleep opportunity) or control sleep (9 hour sleep opportunity), and a 3-day recovery segment. Repeated measures of energy intake, energy expenditure, body weight, body composition, fat distribution and circulating biomarkers were acquired.

RESULTS

With sleep restriction vs control, participants consumed more calories (P = 0.015), increasing protein (P = 0.050) and fat intake (P = 0.046). Energy expenditure was unchanged (all P > 0.16). Participants gained significantly more weight when exposed to experimental sleep restriction than during control sleep (P = 0.008). While changes in total body fat did not differ between conditions (P = 0.710), total abdominal fat increased only during sleep restriction (P = 0.011), with significant increases evident in both subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat depots (P = 0.047 and P = 0.042, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep restriction combined with ad libitum food promotes excess energy intake without varying energy expenditure. Weight gain and particularly central accumulation of fat indicate that sleep loss predisposes to abdominal visceral obesity. (Sleep Restriction and Obesity; NCT01580761).

Impact of Combined Antiretroviral Therapy on Metabolic Syndrome Components in Adult People Living with HIV: A Literature Review

The development of metabolic derangements as a result of HIV treatment has been an important area of research since the introduction of zidovudine in the 1980's. Antiretroviral therapy has intensely evolved in the last three decades, with new drugs gradually incorporated into everyday clinical practice. With the life expectancy of people living with HIV rapidly approaching that of their HIV-negative counterparts, the influence of these antiretrovirals on the development of the components of the metabolic syndrome remains of major interest to clinicians and their patients. In this review, we aimed to discuss the impact of cART on components of the metabolic syndrome, i.e., weight, plasma lipid levels, plasma glucose levels, and blood pressure, describing the influence of cART classes and of individual antiretrovirals. We also aimed to outline the limitations of the research conducted to date and the remaining knowledge gaps in this area.

Metabolic Obesity in People with Normal Body Weight (MONW)-Review of Diagnostic Criteria

Disorders of metabolic obesity with normal body weight (MONW) are widely recognized risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Despite this, MONW is not diagnosed in clinical practice. There is no consensus on the definition of MONW, and measuring the degree of insulin resistance or obesity among apparently healthy, non-obese patients is not widely applicable. The awareness of the relationship between metabolic disorders such as MONW and a higher risk of mortality from cardiovascular causes and other related diseases prompts the need for action to be taken aimed at creating appropriate diagnostic models that will allow for the effective detection of those with metabolic abnormalities among people with normal body weight. Such actions are decisive in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review the MONW diagnostic criteria used over the years.

Abdominal Visceral Adipose Tissue and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

Increased abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) implies an adverse cardio-metabolic profile. We examined the association of abdominal VAT parameters and all-cause mortality risk.

METHODS

We systematically searched four databases. We performed citations/articles screening, data abstraction, and quality assessment in duplicate and independently (CRD42020205021).

RESULTS

We included 12 cohorts, the majority used computed tomography to assess abdominal VAT area. Six cohorts with a mean age ≤ 65 years, examining all-cause mortality risk per increment in VAT area (cm²) or volume (cm³), showed a 11-98% relative risk increase with higher VAT parameters. However, the association lost significance after adjusting for glycemic indices, body mass index, or other fat parameters. In 4 cohorts with a mean age >65 years, the findings on mortality were inconsistent. Conversely, in two cohorts (mean age 73-77 years), a higher VAT density, was inversely proportional to VAT area, and implied a higher mortality risk.

CONCLUSION

A high abdominal VAT area seems to be associated with increased all-cause mortality in individuals ≤ 65 years, possibly mediated by metabolic complications, and not through an independent effect. This relationship is weaker and may reverse in older individuals, most likely secondary to confounding bias and reverse causality. An individual participant data meta-analysis is needed to confirm our findings, and to define an abdominal VAT area cutoff implying increased mortality risk.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=205021, identifier CRD42020205021.

Obesity, Body Composition, and Sex Hormones: Implications for Cardiovascular Risk

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death in adults, highlighting the need to develop novel strategies to mitigate cardiovascular risk. The advancing obesity epidemic is now threatening the gains in CVD risk reduction brought about by contemporary pharmaceutical and surgical interventions. There are sex differences in the development and outcomes of CVD; premenopausal women have significantly lower CVD risk than men of the same age, but women lose this advantage as they transition to menopause, an observation suggesting potential role of sex hormones in determining CVD risk. Clear differences in obesity and regional fat distribution among men and women also exist. While men have relatively high fat in the abdominal area, women tend to distribute a larger proportion of their fat in the lower body. Considering that regional body fat distribution is an important CVD risk factor, differences in how men and women store their body fat may partly contribute to sex-based alterations in CVD risk as well. This article presents findings related to the role of obesity and sex hormones in determining CVD risk. Evidence for the role of sex hormones in determining body composition in men and women is also presented. Lastly, the clinical potential for using sex hormones to alter body composition and reduce CVD risk is outlined. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12:1-45, 2022.

Optimal cutoff values for visceral fat volume to predict metabolic syndrome in a Korean population

Previous studies have reported the association between visceral fat and metabolic syndrome (MS); however, just few studies have been conducted to evaluate the relationship between actual visceral fat volume (VFV) and MS. This study aimed to obtain 3 dimensional VFV and subcutaneous fat volume (SFV) using abdominal computed tomography (CT) and determine MS-predictive cutoff values.A total of 250 individuals, aged 27 to 80 years, who underwent health screening with abdominal CT between November 2019 and May 2020 were included. The subcutaneous (SFA) and visceral (VFA) fat areas were quantified using axial images obtained at the level of the lowest to the highest part of the umbilicus. The SFV and VFV were quantified from the highest level of the liver dome to the pelvic floor on axial CT images. The Aquarius iNtuition software program (TeraRecon, Foster City, CA) was used to calculate the SFA, VFA, SFV, and VFV. Subcutaneous fat mass and visceral fat mass (VFM) were measured using an adipose tissue density of 0.9 g/mL. We used the modified criteria of MS proposed by the Third National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults and waist circumference of ≥90 cm in men and ≥85 cm in women to define MS. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare the fat areas, volumes, and mass according to the presence of MS and sex. Additionally, a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the cutoff values for VFV, SFV, VFM, subcutaneous fat mass, VFA, and SFA associated with MS.Of the assessed variables, VFV and VFM had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value for predicting MS in both men and women: 0.811 (95% confidence interval, 0.743-0.868) for men and 0.826 (95% confidence interval, 0.727-0.900) for women. The MS-predictive cutoff values were 4852 cm3 and 4366.8 g for men and 3101 cm3 and 2790.9 g for women, respectively. Further, large, population-based studies are needed to validate these cutoff values.

Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

The global obesity epidemic is well established, with increases in obesity prevalence for most countries since the 1980s. Obesity contributes directly to incident cardiovascular risk factors, including dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and sleep disorders. Obesity also leads to the development of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease mortality independently of other cardiovascular risk factors. More recent data highlight abdominal obesity, as determined by waist circumference, as a cardiovascular disease risk marker that is independent of body mass index. There have also been significant advances in imaging modalities for characterizing body composition, including visceral adiposity. Studies that quantify fat depots, including ectopic fat, support excess visceral adiposity as an independent indicator of poor cardiovascular outcomes. Lifestyle modification and subsequent weight loss improve both metabolic syndrome and associated systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. However, clinical trials of medical weight loss have not demonstrated a reduction in coronary artery disease rates. In contrast, prospective studies comparing patients undergoing bariatric surgery with nonsurgical patients with obesity have shown reduced coronary artery disease risk with surgery. In this statement, we summarize the impact of obesity on the diagnosis, clinical management, and outcomes of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias, especially sudden cardiac death and atrial fibrillation. In particular, we examine the influence of obesity on noninvasive and invasive diagnostic procedures for coronary artery disease. Moreover, we review the impact of obesity on cardiac function and outcomes related to heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction. Finally, we describe the effects of lifestyle and surgical weight loss interventions on outcomes related to coronary artery disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.

Almond consumption decreases android fat mass percentage in adults with high android subcutaneous adiposity but does not change HbA1c in a randomised controlled trial

The purpose of this study was to determine if the mixed evidence of almond consumption on HbA1c stems from testing people with different body fat distributions (BFD) associated with different risks of glucose intolerance. A 6-month randomised controlled trial in 134 adults was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to the almond (A) or control (C) group based on their BFD. Those in the almond group consumed 1·5 oz of almonds with their breakfast and as their afternoon snack daily. Those in the control group continued their habitual breakfast and afternoon snack routines. Body weight and composition were measured and blood samples were collected for determination of HbA1c, glycaemia and lipaemia at 0 and 6 months. Appetite ratings, energy intake and diet quality were collected at 0, 2, 4 and 6 months. Participants consuming almonds ingested 816 (sem 364) kJ/d more than participants in the control group (P = 0·03), but this did not result in any differences in body weight (A: –0·3 (sem 0·4), C: –0·4 (sem 0·4); P > 0·3). Participants in the almond, high android subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) group had a greater reduction in android fat mass percentage (A: –1·0 (sem 0·6), C: 1·1 (sem 0·6); P = 0·04), preserved android lean mass percentage (A: 0·9 (sem 0·6), C: –1 (sem 0·6); P = 0·04) and tended to decrease android visceral adipose tissue mass (A: –13 (sem 53) g, C: 127 (sem 53) g; P = 0·08) compared with those in the control, high SAT group. There were no differences in HbA1c between groups (A: 5·4 (sem 0·04), C: 5·5 (sem 0·04); P > 0·05). Thus, BFD may not explain the mixed evidence on almond consumption and HbA1c. Long-term almond consumption has limited ability to improve cardiometabolic health in those who are overweight and obese but otherwise healthy.

Adiposity and Interstitial Lung Abnormalities in Community-Dwelling Adults: The MESA Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Obesity is associated with restrictive ventilatory defects and a faster rate of decline in FVC. This association is not exclusively mediated by mechanical factors and may reflect direct pulmonary injury by adipose-derived mediators.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Is adipose tissue involved in the pathogenesis of interstitial lung disease (ILD)?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We evaluated the association of CT measures of pericardial, abdominal visceral, and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue with high-attenuation areas (HAAs) and interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) in a large multicenter cohort study of community-dwelling adults, using multivariable-adjusted models. We secondarily evaluated the association of adipose depot size with FVC and biomarkers of obesity and inflammation.

RESULTS

In fully adjusted models, every doubling in pericardial adipose tissue volume was associated with a 63.4-unit increase in HAA (95% CI, 55.5-71.3), 20% increased odds of ILA (95% CI, -2% to 50%), and a 5.5% decrease in percent predicted FVC (95% CI, -6.8% to -4.3%). IL-6 levels accounted for 8% of the association between pericardial adipose tissue and HAA. Every doubling in visceral adipose tissue area was associated with a 41.5-unit increase in HAA (95% CI, 28.3-54.7), 30% increased odds of ILA (95% CI, -10% to 80%), and a 5.4% decrease in percent predicted FVC (95% CI, -6.6% to -4.3%). IL-6 and leptin accounted for 17% and 18%, respectively, of the association between visceral adipose tissue and HAA.

INTERPRETATION

Greater amounts of pericardial and abdominal visceral adipose tissue were associated with CT measures of early lung injury and lower FVC in a cohort of community-dwelling adults. Adipose tissue may represent a modifiable risk factor for ILD.

Life course socioeconomic position and body composition in adulthood: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

INTRODUCTION

Multiple systematic reviews have investigated the relation between socioeconomic position (SEP) and body mass index (BMI) throughout the life course. However, BMI does not capture quantity and distribution of fat and muscle, which are better indicators of obesity than BMI, and have been independently linked to adverse health outcomes. Less is known about the relation between SEP and body composition, and the literature has not been reviewed. We therefore systematically reviewed the literature on the association between life course SEP and body composition in adulthood.

METHODS

A protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019119937), and the review followed PRISMA guidelines. An electronic search of three databases (MEDLINE, Embase Classic + Embase and SPORTDiscus) was conducted. Original studies in the English language were included that examine the association between any recognised measure of SEP at any age and body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass, ratio and distribution) in adulthood, measured using a direct technique, i.e., not an anthropometric measure. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 47 papers were included in the final review, none were from low-income countries (LICs). Greater advantage in childhood and adulthood was associated with lower fat levels in high-income countries (HICs). Associations in the opposite direction were found exclusively in middle-income countries (MICs). No studies in MICs reported associations for childhood SEP. For measures of lean mass, the majority of papers reported no association, or greater advantage in adulthood associated with higher lean mass, with little variation between HICs and MICs. Associations in HICs are more often observed in women than men.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that fat measures follow similar patterns to those seen for BMI, and that women in HICs are more likely to experience inequalities in both fat and lean measures. Further research in LICs and MICs is needed.

Abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue and associations with cardiometabolic risk in Inuit, Africans and Europeans: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Abdominal fat has been identified as a risk marker of cardiometabolic disease independent of overall adiposity. However, it is not clear whether there are ethnic disparities in this risk. We investigated the associations of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) with cardiometabolic risk factors in three ethnic diverse populations of Inuit, Africans and Europeans.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional pooled study.

SETTING

Greenland, Kenya and Denmark.

METHODS

A total of 5113 participants (2933 Inuit, 1397 Africans and 783 Europeans) from three studies in Greenland, Kenya and Denmark were included. Measurements included abdominal fat distribution assessed by ultrasound, oral glucose tolerance test, hepatic insulin resistance, blood pressure and lipids. The associations were analysed using multiple linear regressions.

RESULTS

Across ethnic group and gender, an increase in VAT of 1 SD was associated with higher levels of hepatic insulin resistance (ranging from 14% to 28%), triglycerides (8% to 16%) and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, -1.0 to -0.05 mmol/L) independent of body mass index. VAT showed positive associations with most of the other cardiometabolic risk factors in Inuit and Europeans, but not in Africans. In contrast, SAT was mainly associated with the outcomes in Inuit and Africans. Of notice was that higher SAT was associated with higher HDL-C in African men (0.11 mmol/L, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.18) and with lower HDL-C in Inuit (-0.07 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.12 to -0.02), but not in European men (-0.02 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.09 to 0.05). Generally weaker associations were observed for women. Furthermore, the absolute levels of several of the cardiometabolic outcomes differed between the ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

VAT and SAT were associated with several of the cardiometabolic risk factors beyond overall adiposity. Some of these associations were specific to ethnicity, suggesting that ethnicity plays a role in the pathway from abdominal fat to selected cardiometabolic risk factors.

Association of the Gut Microbiota with Weight-Loss Response within a Retail Weight-Management Program

Retail programs offer popular weight-loss options amid the ongoing obesity crisis. However, research on weight-loss outcomes within such programs is limited. This prospective-cohort observational study enrolled 58 men and women between ages 20 and 72 years from a retail program to assess the influence of client features on energy-restriction induced weight-loss response. DESeq2 in R-studio, a linear regression model adjusting for significantly correlating covariates, and Wilcoxon signed-rank and Kruskal–Wallis for within- and between-group differences, respectively, were used for data analyses. An average 10% (~10 kg) reduction in baseline-weight along with lower total-, android-, gynoid-, and android:gynoid-fat were observed at Week 12 (all, p < 0.05). Fifty percent of participants experienced a higher response, losing an average of 14.5 kg compared to 5.9 kg in the remaining low-response group (p < 0.0001). Hemoglobin-A1C (p = 0.005) and heart rate (p = 0.079) reduced in the high-response group only. Fat mass and A1C correlated when individuals had high android:gynoid fat (r = 0.55, p = 0.008). Gut-microbial β-diversity was associated with BMI, body fat%, and android-fat (all, p < 0.05). Microbiota of the high-response group had a higher baseline OTU-richness (p = 0.02) as well as differential abundance and/or associations with B. eggerthi, A. muciniphila, Turicibacter, Prevotella, and Christensenella (all, p/p_adj < 0.005). These results show that intestinal microbiota as well as sex and body composition differences may contribute to variable weight-loss response. This highlights the importance of various client features in the context of real-world weight control efforts.

Association of longitudinal risk profile trajectory clusters with adipose tissue depots measured by magnetic resonance imaging

The objective of the study was to identify associations of longitudinal trajectories of traditional cardiometabolic risk factors with abdominal and ectopic adipose tissue depots measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We measured total abdominal, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue in liter and intrahepatic, intrapancreatic and renal sinus fat as fat fractions by MRI in 325 individuals free of cardiovascular disease at Exam 3 of a population-based cohort. We related these MRI measurements at Exam 3 to longitudinal risk profile trajectory clusters, based on risk factor measurements from Exam 3, Exam 2 (seven years prior to MRI) and Exam 1 (14 years prior to MRI). Based on the levels and longitudinal trajectories of several risk factors (blood pressure, lipid profile, anthropometric measurements, HbA1c), we identified three different trajectory clusters. These clusters displayed a graded association with all adipose tissue traits after adjustment for potential confounders (e.g. visceral adipose tissue: β_ClusterII = 1.30 l, 95%-CI:[0.84 l;1.75 l], β_ClusterIII = 3.32 l[2.74 l;3.90 l]; intrahepatic: Estimate_ClusterII = 1.54[1.27,1.86], Estimate_ClusterIII = 2.48[1.93,3.16]. Associations remained statistically significant after additional adjustment for the risk factor levels at Exam 1 or Exam 3, respectively. Trajectory clusters provided additional information in explaining variation in the different fat compartments beyond risk factor profiles obtained at individual exams. In conclusion, sustained high risk factor levels and unfavorable trajectories are associated with high levels of adipose tissue; however, the association with cardiometabolic risk factors varies substantially between different ectopic adipose tissues. Trajectory clusters, covering longitudinal risk profiles, provide additional information beyond single-point risk profiles. This emphasizes the need to incorporate longitudinal information in cardiometabolic risk estimation.

Adipose Tissue Distribution and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among Breast Cancer Survivors

PURPOSE

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major source of morbidity and mortality among breast cancer survivors. Although body mass index (BMI) is associated with CVD risk, adipose tissue distribution may better identify patients with a high risk of CVD after breast cancer.

METHODS

Among 2,943 patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer without prior CVD, we used International Classification of Diseases (9th and 10th revisions) codes to identify incidence of nonfatal stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, or CVD death. From clinically acquired computed tomography scans obtained near diagnosis, we measured visceral adiposity (centimeters squared), subcutaneous adiposity (centimeters squared), and intramuscular adiposity (fatty infiltration into muscle [Hounsfield Units, scored inversely]). We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs per SD increase in adiposity accounting for competing risks and adjusting for demographics, smoking, cancer treatment, and pre-existing CVD risk factors.

RESULTS

Mean (SD) age was 56 (12) years. Over a median follow-up of 6 years, 328 CVD events occurred. Each SD increase in visceral or intramuscular adiposity was associated with an increase in CVD risk (HR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.29] and HR, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.06 to 1.37]), respectively). Excess visceral and intramuscular adiposity occurred across all BMI categories. Among normal-weight patients, each SD greater visceral adiposity increased CVD risk by 70% (HR, 1.70 [95% CI, 1.10 to 2.62]).

CONCLUSION

Visceral and intramuscular adiposity were associated with increased CVD incidence after breast cancer diagnosis, independent of pre-existing CVD risk factors and cancer treatments. The increased CVD incidence among normal-weight patients with greater visceral adiposity would go undetected with BMI alone. Measures of adipose tissue distribution may help identify high-risk patients and tailor CVD prevention strategies.

Anthropometric Obesity Indices were Stronger than CT-Based Indices in Associations with Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Japanese Men

AIM

Computed tomography (CT) can directly provide information on body compositions and distributions, compared to anthropometric indices. It has been shown that various obesity indices are associated with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). However, whether CT-based obesity indices are stronger than anthropometric indices in association with atherosclerosis remains to be determined in a general population.

METHODS

We cross-sectionally assessed carotid IMT using ultrasound in 944 community-dwelling Japanese men free of stroke and myocardial infarction. CT image at the L4-L5 level was obtained to compute areas of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Anthropometric measures assessed included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. Using multivariable linear regression, slopes of IMT per 20^th to 80^th percentile of each index were compared. We also compared the slope of index with simultaneous adjustment for BMI in the same model.

RESULTS

Areas of VAT and SAT were positively associated with IMT, but not stronger than those of anthropometric indices in point estimates. Among all obesity indices, BMI was strongest in association with IMT after adjusting for age and lifestyle factors or further adjusting for metabolic factors. In simultaneous adjustment models, BMI, but not CT-based indices, remained significant and showed the strongest association.

CONCLUSIONS

In community-dwelling Japanese men, anthropometric obesity indices, BMI in particular, were more strongly associated with carotid atherosclerosis than CT-based obesity indices. The association of general obesity with carotid atherosclerosis was strong and adding CT-based obesity measure did not considerably influence in the association.

Recent Advances in Understanding the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular Diseases and Development of Treatment Modalities

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The underlying pathology for cardiovascular disease is largely atherosclerotic in nature and the steps include fatty streak formation, plaque progression and plaque rupture. While there is optimal drug therapy available for patients with CVD, there are also underlying drug delivery obstacles that must be addressed. Challenges in drug delivery warrant further studies for the development of novel and more efficacious medical therapies. An extensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of disease in combination with current challenges in drug delivery serves as a platform for the development of novel drug therapeutic targets for CVD. The objective of this article is to review the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, first-line medical treatment for CVD, and key obstacles in an efficient drug delivery.

The impact of abdominal fat on abdominal aorta calcification measured on non-enhanced CT

Cardiovascular (CV) morbidity, atherosclerosis, and obesity are all targets of clinical concern and vast research, as is the association between them. Aim of this study is to assess the impact of adipose tissue (including visceral and subcutaneous fat) on abdominal aorta calcification measured on non-enhanced computed tomography (CT). We retrospectively included 492 patients who underwent non-enhanced CT scans during workup for clinically suspected renal colic. All scans were reviewed for abdominal aorta calcification, liver attenuation, and thickness of visceral and subcutaneous fat. Multivariate general linear regression models were used to assess the association between abdominal aorta calcium score and adiposity measures. In the model that included only adiposity measures; visceral fat thickness had statistically significant direct association with abdominal aorta calcium score (B = 67.1, P <.001), whereas subcutaneous pelvic fat thickness had a significant inverse association with abdominal aorta calcium score (B = -22.34, P <.001). Only the association of subcutaneous pelvic fat thickness with abdominal aorta calcium score remained statistically significant when controlling for age, sex, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia (B = -21.23, P <.001). In this model, the association of visceral fat remained statistically significant in females (B = 84.28, P = .001) but not in males (B = 0.47, P = .973). Visceral fat thickness and subcutaneous pelvic fat thickness were found to have opposing associations with abdominal aorta calcium score. This suggests that while visceral fat may have a lipotoxic effect on aortic atherosclerotic processes, subcutaneous pelvic fat may have a protective role in these processes.

Differential effect of subcutaneous abdominal and visceral adipose tissue on cardiometabolic risk

Metabolic and cardiovascular diseases are increasing worldwide due to the rise in the obesity epidemic. The metabolic consequences of obesity vary by distribution of adipose tissue. Visceral and ectopic adipose accumulation are associated with adverse cardiometabolic consequences, while gluteal-femoral adipose accumulation are negatively associated with these adverse complications and subcutaneous abdominal adipose accumulation is more neutral in its associations. Gender, race and ethnic differences in adipose tissue distribution have been described and could account for the observed differences in risk for cardiometabolic disease. The mechanisms behind the differential impact of adipose tissue on cardiometabolic risk have started to be unraveled and include differences in adipocyte biology, inflammatory profile, connection to systemic circulation and most importantly the inability of the subcutaneous adipose tissue to expand in response to positive energy balance.