Visceral Adiposity is Preferentially Associated with Vascular Stiffness Rather than Thickness in Men with Type 2 Diabetes

Aim: Visceral fat accumulation is known to underlie the clustering of cardiovascular risk factors. However, it is not completely understood how visceral fat accumulation influences the development of cardiovascular disease. In this study, we investigated the clinical impact of visceral adiposity on vascular stiffness and thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: One hundred and sixty-one patients with T2D, including 92 men and 69 women, were included in this cross-sectional study. Visceral fat area (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were measured by dual bioelectrical impedance analysis. Stiffness parameter beta and intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery were measured by ultrasonography. Results: The mean age and duration of diabetes in the study population were 61 years and 13.9 years, respectively. In men, VFA and waist circumference (WC) were positively correlated with stiffness parameter beta, whereas body mass index (BMI), WC, and SFA were negatively correlated with IMT. In contrast, in women, none of the obesity-related indices were significantly correlated with stiffness parameter beta or IMT. In multiple regression analyses, VFA as well as WC, BMI, and SFA were independently associated with stiffness parameter beta after adjustment for age and other potential confounders in men but not in women. None of the obesity-related indices were independently associated with IMT for either sex. Conclusion: In men with T2D, visceral adiposity is associated with carotid arterial stiffness but not thickness.