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Biomedical subjects

F Armellini

Publications and source records attributed to F Armellini.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Computed tomography visceral adipose tissue volume measurements of Italians. Predictive equations.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate total visceral adipose tissue (AT) volumes in relation to single slices of visceral AT area measured at different levels and to other simple anthropometric measurements. DESIGN: Only outpatients examined in a metabolic unit were considered; subjects without conditions known to affect AT distribution who gave their informed consent were recruited. SETTING: All subjects were hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine of the University of Messina. SUBJECTS: 90 adult subjects of which 18 men and 42 pre- and 30 post-menopausal women. Ages ranged from 18 to 69 years and body mass indexes ranged from 22 to 50. INTERVENTIONS: The AT volume was calculated by computed tomography from the AT area of five scans and from the distances between these scans. RESULTS: AT area at the level of the 2nd-3rd lumbar vertebra had by itself the highest predictive power in men (s.e. = 6.8%), in post-menopausal women (s.e. = 7.4%) and, together with age, in pre-menopausal women (s.e. = 14%). Of the non-radiological parameters it was waist circumference, together with age, which showed the highest predictive power in men (s.e. = 21%), pre-menopausal women (s.e. = 25%) and, together with height, in post-menopausal women (s.e. = 33%). CONCLUSIONS: A single scan measurement at the lumbar level was confirmed to be representative of total visceral AT volume. Waist circumference was the non-radiological parameter that best correlated with volume.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1996

Relationship between hydration of lean body mass and visceral adipose tissue. A clinical study of women.

OBJECT: To study the relationship between hydration of lean body mass and adipose tissue location. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, clinical study of visceral adipose tissue area and total body water as a percentage of lean body mass. PATIENTS: Seventy-two adult, overweight, women, 52 pre- and 20 post-menopausal (age: 18-72 years, body mass index: 26-52). MEASUREMENTS: Total body water was obtained by electrical impedance measurement; visceral adipose tissue and lean body mass were obtained by computed tomography measurement of visceral adipose tissue area at the level of the 4th-5th lumbar vertebra. RESULTS: Visceral adipose tissue was found, by multiple regression analysis, to be the only predictor of the hydration of the lean body mass. The other independent variables: age, menopausal status, body mass index, glucose and insulin both fasting and after glucose load were not able to significantly improve the predictive power. CONCLUSION: Results of this study confirm the existence of a relationship between visceral adipose tissue content and hydration of the lean body mass.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1996

Body fat accumulation is possibly responsible for lower dehydroepiandrosterone circulating levels in premenopausal obese women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether any androgen is independently related with parameters of body fat accumulation and distribution in obese women. DESIGN: Circulating insulin and androgen levels (total testosterone (T), free testosterone (FT), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)) and the parameters of body fat accumulation and distribution (body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, total body fat volume (TBF), visceral adipose tissue area (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue area (SAT) were determined in a population of non-diabetic obese women. SUBJECTS: 28 premenopausal obese women, recruited at the Verona University Hospital Outpatient Clinic. MEASUREMENTS: TBF, VAT and SAT area were quantified by computed tomography. Hormone levels were measured by RIA. RESULTS: SHBG showed an inverse correlation with BMI (r: -0.452, P < 0.05), WHR (r: -0.388, P < 0.05), TBF (r: -0.509, P < 0.01), VAT (r: -0.378, P < 0.05) and SAT (r: -0.449, P < 0.05). DHEA was negatively associated with BMI (r: -0.376, P < 0.05), TBF (r: -0 < 0.05), VAT (r: -0.662, P < 0.001) and SAT (r: -0.401, p < 0.05). T was found to be inversely related with VAT (r: -0.401, P < 0.05). Androstenedione was positively correlated with WHR (r: 0.383, P < 0.05). DHEAS and FT did not show significant associations with BMI, WHR, or any CT-parameters. Stepwise multiple regressions were performed for all androgens: one of the age-adjusted androgens was considered as the dependent variable for each analysis, and insulin, VAT, SAT and all other androgens were entered into the regression model. DHEA was the only hormone to show an independent association (negative) with both SAT (t-value: -3.683, P < 0.01) and VAT (t-value: -2.252, P < 0.05), whereas DHEAS showed an independent positive correlation with SAT (t-value: -2.241, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among the androgens, DHEA seems to be the most sensitive to body fat accumulation in premenopausal obese women.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Interrelationships between intraabdominal fat and total serum testosterone levels in obese women.

Thirty-six women aged 18 to 52 years with body mass indexes (BMIs) between 27 and 52 were studied. Visceral and subcutaneous fat areas and body fat were evaluated by computerized tomography with a single scan at the IV-V lumbar vertebra level. Glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels were measured before and after a glucose load. Total and free serum testosterone and 24-hour urinary cortisol excretion were measured. A stepwise multiple regression equation showed the visceral to subcutaneous fat area ratio to be the most powerful predictor for glucose alterations both during fasting and after a glucose load, and showed BMI to be the most powerful predictor for insulin and C-peptide levels. Total serum testosterone, after matching for age and BMI, demonstrates a significant negative correlation with visceral fat area. We conclude that in obese women, as in men, intraabdominal fat negatively correlates with serum testosterone levels.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1994

Obesity and regional body-fat distribution in men: separate and joint relationships to glucose tolerance and plasma lipoproteins.

Relationships between obesity and fat distribution as evaluated by computed tomography and metabolic variables were studied in 35 men. Significant correlations emerged between body mass index and sum of glucose during oral glucose load and HDL3 triglycerides and also between visceral abdominal fat and triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, sum of insulin during oral glucose load, very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, and VLDL and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) triglycerides. Visceral abdominal fat correlated negatively with the ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol. When the subjects were subdivided into four groups according to body mass index (< or = 26.7, > 26.7) and median visceral abdominal fat, no significant differences were found in body mass index, whereas significant differences were found for triglycerides, cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, VLDL cholesterol, HDL:LDL cholesterol, and VLDL triglycerides. Our study shows that the amount of visceral abdominal fat is the most relevant factor for metabolic abnormalities. Our data also suggest that the effect of visceral fat is independent of body mass index.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Relationship between visceral fat, steroid hormones and insulin sensitivity in premenopausal obese women.

OBJECTIVES: The relationships between visceral fat distribution, steroid hormones and peripheral insulin sensitivity were studied. SETTING: All subjects were hospitalized in the Institute of Internal Medicine of the University of Verona, Italy. SUBJECTS: Nineteen fertile obese women were studied with ages ranging from 18 to 53 years and body mass indexes ranging from 27.3 to 48.4. INTERVENTION: Body fat distribution was evaluated by waist-to-hip circumference ratio and by computed tomography. The insulin tolerance test was used to evaluate peripheral insulin sensitivity. Glucose, insulin and C-peptide were measured in fasting conditions and during glucose load; total and free plasma testosterone and urinary cortisol excretion were also determined. RESULTS: Significant correlations emerged between visceral adipose tissue and fasting glucose, insulin, and C-peptide, but not between visceral adipose tissue and total testosterone, free testosterone or urinary cortisol excretion. A negative correlation emerged between visceral adipose tissue and insulin sensitivity (r = -0.70; P < 0.01). No significant correlations were found between insulin sensitivity and age, body weight, body mass index, total adipose tissue, subcutaneous adipose tissue or waist-to-hip ratio. Total testosterone correlated with body weight, subcutaneous adipose tissue and total adipose tissue. Free testosterone and urinary cortisol excretion correlated positively with body weight, and negatively with age. No correlation was found between insulin sensitivity and total testosterone, free testosterone or urinary cortisol excretion. The correlation between visceral adipose tissue and insulin sensitivity remained significant even after adjusting for both age and the body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that visceral fat is more closely associated with aberrations of insulin sensitivity than with obesity itself. Total testosterone, free testosterone and urinary cortisol excretion in our subjects do not seem to be associated with such aberrations.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Measured and predicted total and visceral adipose tissue in women. Correlations with metabolic parameters.

The aim of this study was the verification of the clinical utility of predictive equations for total and intra-abdominal adipose tissue areas. Formulas were calculated using computed tomography (CT) as the gold standard. Ninety-three females were randomly divided into two groups. The predictive equation group was used to calculate the predictive equations for computed tomography adipose tissue areas at the L4-L5 level. These equations were then used to predict total and intra-abdominal adipose tissue area in the validation group. Correlations were made between metabolic parameters and both measured and calculated areas and single predictors. The following measurements were carried out: age, weight/height ratio, body mass index, waist, hip, waist/hip ratio, ultrasound measurement of intra-abdominal distance between abdominal muscle and aorta, sagittal abdominal diameter by CT, adipose tissue intra-abdominal area by CT, total abdominal adipose tissue area by CT. Blood glucose and insulin both fasting and after glucose load. Fasting cholesterol and triglycerides. The best predictors of total and visceral adipose tissue areas were, respectively: weight/height ratio and ultrasound intra-abdominal measurement. Correlations between metabolic parameters and adipose tissue areas both as measured and as calculated by predictive equations were quite similar. Correlations between metabolic parameters and single best predictors of measured adipose tissue areas also gave the same results. Some simple and safe anthropometric measurements can be used, instead of total and visceral adipose tissue area as assessed by CT, when studying associations between adipose tissue and metabolic parameters on sufficiently large groups of patients.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1993

Effect of weight loss on regional body fat distribution in premenopausal women.

This study evaluates effects of weight loss on regional fat distribution and compares waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and computed tomography (CT) as methods of assessing body fat distribution in 16 premenopausal obese women (body weight 104.3 +/- 18.1 kg, WHR 0.84 +/- 0.08). Mean weight loss was 6.6 kg after 2 wk on a very-low-energy diet (VLED) and 16 kg after 14 additional weeks on a low-energy diet (LED). Visceral abdominal fat and sagittal diameter significantly decreased after both the VLED and LED. Subcutaneous abdominal fat decreased significantly only after the LED. WHR showed no significant reduction over the entire study period. The decrease in visceral fat after both the VLED and LED was greater than the decrease in subcutaneous fat. Changes in body weight over the entire study period correlated with initial body weight and with total and subcutaneous abdominal fat, but not with visceral abdominal fat. They also correlated with changes in subcutaneous abdominal fat, visceral abdominal fat, sagittal diameter, and WHR. In conclusion, weight loss is associated with changes in regional fat distribution. In premenopausal subjects weight loss correlates more closely with the amount of subcutaneous than visceral fat.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1993

Total and intra-abdominal fat measurements by ultrasound and computerized tomography.

Computerized tomography, a method of proven reliability for direct measurement of both total and visceral body fat, is not widely usable and alternative means of assessing body fat are required. Several anthropometric parameters, including ultrasound measurements of intra-abdominal and subcutaneous fat, were considered in 119 females (age 15-72 years, body mass index 24-51 kg/m2). Computerized tomography was also performed for total and visceral fat areas at the L4-L5 level. Reliability of each of these measurements in predicting total fat was assessed. Tertiles for visceral fat area were calculated (< 114, 114-170, > 170 cm2). Only ultrasound intra-abdominal fat measurements were able to distinguish between all three VAT groups (16 +/- 10, 32 +/- 13, 50 +/- 22 mm); neither sagittal diameter nor waist/hip girth ratio were able to distinguish between the two > 114 cm2 groups. Predictive equations for total adipose tissue area confirmed weight/height ratio as the best predictor of total fat. Ultrasound intra-abdominal thickness was the 1 degree variable to enter the stepwise regression in predictive equations for visceral adipose tissue area. The 2 degrees was age, the 3 degrees sagittal diameter, the 4 degrees waist/hip girth ratio and the 5 degrees ultrasound subcutaneous abdominal thickness (adjusted r2 = 0.784; P < 0.001).

Abdomen↗
PubMed1993

Alcohol consumption, smoking habits and body fat distribution in Italian men and women aged 20-60 years.

The study was performed on 601 patients (294 males and 307 females) of a general practitioner. Alcohol intake and smoking habits were compared with other anthropometric measurements including waist-to-hip girth ratio. Patients were divided into non-smokers and smokers (subdivided into three groups according to the number of cigarettes smoked per day) and into non-drinkers and drinkers (subdivided into three groups with different alcohol intakes). Ex-smokers were excluded from the study. Analysis of covariance using age, body mass index, physical activity and menopausal status as covariates, showed that: (1) cigarette smoking is not accompanied by a specific pattern for body fat distribution; (2) waist-to-hip ratio was significantly different for the four classes of alcohol intake for women (non-drinkers: 0.809, < 11 g: 0.805, 11-20 g: 0.809, > 20 g: 0.826; F = 2.8, P < 0.05) but not for men (non-drinkers: 0.944, < 20 g: 0.934, 21-40 g: 0.940, > 40 g: 0.943; F = 0.9); (3) increased alcohol intake corresponds to an increased lipid and energy supply.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1993

Plasma acetate levels in a group of obese diabetic, obese normoglycemic, and control subjects and their relationships with other blood parameters.

Acetate is a short-chain fatty acid derived from colonic fermentation of carbohydrate and dietary fiber, and from endogenous glucose and fatty acid metabolism in the liver. An impaired acetate metabolism has been reported in diabetic subjects. The aim of the study was to evaluate plasma acetate levels in a group of obese diabetic subjects, compared with obese normoglycemic subjects and normal control subjects. Eleven noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients taking oral antidiabetic drugs, eight obese normoglycemic subjects, and seven control subjects were studied. Liver, kidney, and gut functions were normal in all subjects. Blood acetate, glucose, insulin, and C-peptide were evaluated in all subjects. Acetate levels were significantly higher in the diabetic subjects than in obese normoglycemic and normal subjects. Significant correlations between HbA1c, glucose, and acetate levels, but not between acetate and C-peptide or insulin, were also observed.

Acetates↗
PubMed1992

Relation of body fat distribution in men and degree of coronary narrowings in coronary artery disease.

This study evaluates the relation between body fat distribution and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). The study sample comprised 33 patients with angiographically demonstrated CAD and 10 angiographically normal control subjects. Body fat distribution was estimated by computed tomography and degree of coronary narrowings by angiographic score. Body weight, body mass index and total and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue areas showed no statistical differences in the 2 groups; visceral abdominal adipose tissue area and the visceral to subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue area ratio were significantly higher in patients with CAD (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between visceral fat and triglycerides, apoprotein B and sum of glucose and insulin during glucose oral tolerance test. Sum of insulin during glucose oral tolerance test, visceral abdominal adipose tissue area and visceral/subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue area ratio correlated significantly with severity of CAD, as evaluated by coronary score in all subjects and in CAD patients alone. Stepwise multiple regression analysis using the coronary score as the dependent variable and anthropometric and metabolic parameters as independent variables shows that in all subjects and in CAD patients alone, visceral/subcutaneous abdominal adipose-tissue area ratio entered the regression first and the sum of insulin during glucose oral tolerance test second. The results suggest that visceral abdominal adipose tissue area and visceral to subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue area ratio may be cardiovascular risk factors.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1992

Resting metabolic rate, body-fat distribution, and visceral fat in obese women.

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was evaluated in 27 obese women aged 16-49 y [body mass index (in kg/m2) 27-51] by indirect calorimetry. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue areas, body fat, and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured by a single scan with computed tomography (CT); the waist-hip circumference ratio (W/H) was also used. Comparison between the lowest and the highest RMR quartiles--adjusted for age and FFM--revealed a higher W/H in the highest quartile (0.78 +/- 0.08 vs 0.88 +/- 0.08; P < 0.05). No difference was observed in CT indexes. No differences in W/H were observed after RMR was adjusted for age, FFM, and body fat. Our results point out that RMR, adjusted for FFM and age, correlates with body-fat distribution as evaluated by W/H, but not with visceral fat, as evaluated by CT. Correlations disappeared after RMR was adjusted for body fat as well.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1992

Evaluation of regional body fat distribution: comparison between W/H ratio and computed tomography in obese women.

Measurements of regional body fat distribution as determined by waist-to-hip ratio and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio were compared in 63 obese women. Subjects were divided into three CT-evaluated tertiles on the basis of visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (group I, 0.05-0.231; group II, 0.232-0.344; group III, 0.345-0.781). The three groups showed no appreciable differences in body weight, body mass index or total abdominal adipose tissue. Waist-to-hip ratio values were significantly lower in group I than in groups II and III. There was no statistically significant difference between groups II and III. Visceral abdominal adipose tissue was significantly and progressively higher in the three groups. Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue was significantly lower in group III than in group I. All metabolic variables and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were higher when visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio cut-off values were increased. Waist-to-hip ratio was significantly correlated with total adipose tissue, body mass index, visceral abdominal adipose tissue and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue. Visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio was correlated with visceral abdominal adipose tissue (r = 0.84, P < 0.01) and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (r = -0.28, P < 0.05). There was no correlation between visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio and body mass index or total abdominal adipose tissue. Visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose correlated more closely with metabolic variables than did waist-to-hip ratio. Partial correlations between waist-to-hip ratio and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio and metabolic variables, adjusted for body mass index, showed statistically significant relationships for visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio, but not for waist-to-hip ratio. Visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio correlated with waist-to-hip ratio in the study population as a whole, but only in group I did the correlation between visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio and waist-to-hip ratio prove statistically significant. The present study demonstrates that visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio is a better index of body fat distribution than waist-to-hip ratio.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1992

Body fat distribution in pre- and post-menopausal women: metabolic and anthropometric variables and their inter-relationships.

The aim of the study was to compare body fat distribution and metabolic variables in pre- and post-menopausal women. Body fat distribution was measured using abdominal circumference and computerized tomography. No significant differences were found between the two groups as regards body weight, body mass index, waist-hip ratio and total abdominal adipose tissue areas. Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue areas were significantly higher in premenopausal women whereas visceral abdominal adipose tissue areas and the subcutaneous to visceral abdominal adipose tissue area ratios were significantly higher in post-menopausal subjects. After adjusting for body mass index, no significant differences emerged between the two groups as regards total abdominal adipose tissue areas, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist-hip circumference ratio; subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue areas were significantly lower and both visceral abdominal adipose tissue areas and visceral to subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue area ratios significantly higher in post-menopausal women (P less than 0.01). Basal glucose, sum of blood glucose values during oral glucose tolerance test and blood cholesterol values were significantly higher in the post-menopausal group (P less than 0.05), while no significant difference was observed in sum of blood insulin values during oral glucose tolerance test. Basal plasma insulin values, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were higher in post-menopausal women, though the differences were not significant. Only blood cholesterol was significantly higher in post-menopausal women after adjusting for visceral abdominal adipose tissue areas. Positive correlations emerged between age and waist-hip ratio (P less than 0.05), visceral abdominal adipose tissue areas and the visceral to subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue area ratio (P less than 0.001). A negative correlation was established between age and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue areas (P less than 0.01). There was a significant correlation between visceral abdominal adipose tissue areas and metabolic and haemodynamic variables in both pre- and post-menopausal women. In pre-menopausal women, body mass index correlated with basal glucose, basal insulin, sum of glucose during oral glucose tolerance test and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P less than 0.05). When stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the joint effect of anthropometric variables on metabolic variables, visceral abdominal adipose tissue area proved to be the most powerful variable for predicting metabolic disorders. Our data suggest that visceral abdominal adipose tissue areas and visceral to subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue area ratios increase with age. Obesity correlates directly with the amount of subcutaneous fat, but not with the distribution pattern.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1991

The association of body fat location with haemodynamic and metabolic status in men and women aged 21-60 years.

The importance of body fat location as a predictor of metabolic aberrations was evaluated in 214 males and 244 females [aged 21-60] randomly selected from the patients of one general practice of Castel D'Azzano (Italy). The metabolic pattern, indexed by blood pressure, blood glucose, uric acid, serum triglycerides, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol was summarized in a haemodynamic-metabolic score (HMS). Association of HMS with age, anthropometric variables (skinfold thicknesses, girth lengths) and degree of overweight (body mass index, BMI) was evaluated in males and females using multiple regression analysis. Body fat location was associated with metabolic status independent of age in both sexes. This association was also independent of the degree of overweight. BMI, in general, was associated with HMS to a greater extent than anthropometric variables, except for waist girth; when its effect was taken into account BMI did not significantly improve the prediction power of HMS values in males. Among skinfolds, epimesogastric showed in both sexes the highest association with HMS. These results support the abdominal adiposity hypothesis and suggest that waist circumference could be a good index for assessing metabolic status. The abdominal location of adipose tissue, more than just the degree of overweight, could play a role in obesity related disorders.

Adipose Tissue↗