Pancreatic fat accumulation and its relationship with liver fat content and other fat depots in obese individuals

Abstract

Backgrounds and aims: We assessed the associations between pancreatic fat accumulation and other fat compartments, including liver fat and visceral adipose tissue as well as insulin resistance and other metabolic abnormalities in obese individuals.

Subjects and methods: We studied 42 Caucasian adults with obesity [20 men and 22 women; mean body mass index (BMI) 35.2±4 kg/m(2)], who had no history of liver diseases or excessive alcohol consumption, in which subcutaneous, visceral, liver, and pancreatic fat contents were quantified by an in-opposed-phase magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique.

Results: Compared with patients in the lower tertile (<5.6%, no.=15), those in the upper tertile of liver fat content had more visceral adipose tissue, greater insulin resistance and had higher values of BMI, blood pressure, triglycerides and lower HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin. Notably, pancreatic fat accumulation also significantly increased across tertiles of liver fat content. In univariate analysis, the strongest correlates of pancreatic fat were visceral and liver fat contents (r=0.80 and r=0.54, p<0.001- 0.0001, respectively). Pancreatic fat accumulation was also moderately associated with insulin resistance and other metabolic syndrome features. However, when adjusted for age, gender and visceral adipose tissue, the associations of pancreatic fat accumulation with liver fat and other metabolic abnormalities were no longer significant.

Conclusions: There are significant associations between pancreatic fat accumulation and liver fat content as well as insulin resistance and other metabolic abnormalities in obese, but otherwise healthy, individuals. However, these associations are largely mediated by the amount of visceral adipose tissue.