High fat stores in ectopic compartments in men with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: an anthropometric determinant of carotid atherosclerosis and insulin resistance.

Description

The purpose of this study was to analyze by computed tomography whether diabetes is associated with altered fat partitioning in the abdominal cavity, liver and thigh muscle, and whether ectopic fat deposition is associated with a higher carotid artery intima-media thickness (C-IMT) and insulin resistance. The sample included 73 men with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes who were divided into young (25-34 years of age, n=38) and middle-aged (41-55 years of age, n=35) groups. This cross-sectional study found that altered partitioning of fat in muscle and in the liver was observed relatively early in the development of type 2 diabetes, combined with an increased visceral fat mass. The young and middle-aged diabetic subjects had higher ectopic fat accumulation in all areas compared to healthy individuals, but there was no difference between the two diabetic groups. In addition, ectopic accumulation of fat in the muscle was associated with a higher C-IMT and insulin resistance. In contrast, hepatic fat content was not an independent factor of C-IMT and insulin resistance. These findings support the importance of the investigation of ectopic fat to identify individuals at higher risk of having an altered cardiometabolic risk profile.