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. 2017 May-Jun;61(3):282-287.
doi: 10.1590/2359-3997000000236. Epub 2017 Feb 13.

Visceral adiposity index and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in hypogonadism

Cem Haymana  1 , Alper Sonmez  1 , Aydogan Aydogdu  1 , Serkan Tapan  2 , Yalcin Basaran  1 , Coskun Meric  1 , Kamil Baskoy  3 , Mustafa Dinc  1 , Mahmut Yazici  1 , Abdullah Taslipinar  1 , Cem Barcin  4 , Mahmut Ilker Yilmaz  5 , Erol Bolu  6 , Omer Azal  1
Affiliations

Visceral adiposity index and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in hypogonadism

Cem Haymana et al. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2017 May-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Cardiometabolic risk is high in patients with hypogonadism. Visceral adiposity index (VAI) and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio are the practical markers of atherosclerosis and insulin resistance and independent predictors of cardiaovascular risk. To date, no study has evaluated VAI levels and TG/HDL-C ratio in hypogonadism.

Subjects and methods: A total of 112 patients with congenital hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (CHH) (mean age, 21.7 ± 2.06 years) and 124 healthy subjects (mean age, 21.5 ± 1.27 years) were enrolled. The demographic parameters, VAI, TG/HDL-C ratio, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels were measured for all participants.

Results: The patients had higher total cholesterol (p = 0.04), waist circumference, triglycerides, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels (p = 0.001 for all) than the healthy subjects. VAI and ADMA and TG/HDL-C levels were also higher in patients than in healthy subjects (p < 0.001 for all). VAI was weakly correlated with ADMA (r = 0.27, p = 0.015), HOMA-IR (r = 0.22, p = 0.006), hs-CRP (r = 0.19, p = 0.04), and total testosterone (r = -0.21, p = 0.009) levels, whereas TG/HDL-C ratio was weakly correlated weakly with ADMA (r = 0.30, p = 0.003), HOMA-IR (r = 0.22, p = 0.006), and total testosterone (r = -0.16, p = 0.03) levels. Neither VAI nor TG/HDL-C ratio determined ADMA, HOMA-IR, and hs-CRP levels.

Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that patients with hypogonadism have elevated VAI and TG/HDL-C ratio. These values are significantly correlated with the surrogate markers of endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and insulin resistance. However, the predictive roles of VAI and TG/HDL-C ratio are not significant. Prospective follow-up studies are warranted to clarify the role of VAI and TG/HDL-C ratio in predicting cardiometabolic risk in patients with hypogonadism.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: no potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. (A) Scatter plot diagram of the correlation between visceral adiposity index (VAI) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels. (B) Scatter plot diagram of the correlation between triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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