Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes are cross-sectionally related to markers of inflammation and oxidative stress: the Framingham Heart Study.

Description

There is now evidence to suggest that excess adiposity increases systemic inflammation. However, it is still unclear whether intra-abdominal (visceral) obesity is more pro-inflammatory than subcutaneous obesity. This question was examined in 1,250 participants (52% women) of the Framingham Heart Study who underwent computed tomography to quantify the amount of intra-abdominal and subcutaneous adipose tissue and for whom circulating inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers were assessed. Subcutaneous and intra-abdominal adiposity were significantly and similarly associated with C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interleukin-6, P-selectin, and tumour necrosis factor receptor-2. However, compared to subcutaneous obesity, intra-abdominal adipose tissue accumulation had stronger ties to urinary isoprostanes and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. When results were adjusted for BMI and waist circumference (a crude marker of total abdominal obesity), intra-abdominal adipose tissue remained associated with C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, isoprostanes, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 while subcutaneous adipose tissue was only associated with fibrinogen. These results indicate that both subcutaneous and intra-abdominal adiposity are linked to inflammatory processes and oxidative stress. Moreover, it is important to assess intra-abdominal adiposity because its relationship with some inflammatory markers is independent of variation in BMI and waist circumference.