Ultraschall Med 2008; 29 - OP_1_35
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1079765

Intra-abdominal fat distribution assessed by ultrasonography

C Novella Casella 1, V Panetta 2, AM Sidoti 1, A Filippo 1
  • 1Department of Medical Discipline, Fatebenefratelli Hospital San Giovanni Calibita, Rome
  • 2Medical Statistics & Information Technology, AFaR- Fatebenefratelli Association for Research, Isola Tiberina, Rome

Background and aims: Recent advances in the study of metabolic syndrome have identified the amount of visceral fat as an important contributing factor. Presently this parameter can be measured with CT, MRI and ultrasonography. Aim of our study is to assess variations in fat distribution (in both the visceral and subcutaneous compartments), according to age, sex, weight and glucose metabolism.

Material and methods: Demographic, clinical and laboratory data from 163 consecutive patients referred to the Diabetes Outpatient Clinic of our hospital were recorded (males, 49, 7%; median age, 67 years). Measurements included waist circumference, weight, and height; fasting blood glucose, glycosylated serum hemoglobin; visceral and subcutaneous fat thickness was also measured using abdominal ultrasound.

Results: The ratio between visceral and subcutaneous fat was quite constant and did not vary with age and weight. This ratio was higher in men than in women (4.02±4 vs. 2.3±1.3 respectively, p<0.01). Fasting blood glucose correlated with the amount of visceral fat in both males and females (males: r=0.42, p<0.05; females: r=0.40, p<0.05); among males fasting blood glucose was significantly correlated with the visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio (males: r=0.68, p<0.01; females: r=0.35, p<0.05).

Conclusion: In our study sample, males had a greater amount of visceral fat compared to women, for equal values of waist circumference. The fat distribution in different compartments did not correlate with weight nor age, but only with patient gender. Glycemic control, represented in our study by fasting blood glucose levels, besides correlating with the amount of visceral fat, also correlated (especially in men) with the visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio. These results indicate a role of subcutaneous fat in glycemic control, possibly due to an enhanced production of adiponectin by subcutaneous fat tissue compared to visceral fat.

Fig.1: Assessment of visceral fat

Fig.2: Assessment of subcutaneous fat