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. 2023 Jun 25;10(7):271.
doi: 10.3390/jcdd10070271.

Exploring the Diversity of Visceral, Subcutaneous and Perivascular Adipose Tissue in a Vascular Surgery Population

Joana Ferreira  1   2   3   4   5 , Julieta Afonso  2   4 , Alexandre Lima Carneiro  6 , Isabel Vila  3   7   8 , Cristina Cunha  3   7   8 , Susana Roque  2   4 , Cristina Silva  3   7   8 , Amílcar Mesquita  9 , Jorge Cotter  2   3   4   7   8 , Margarida Correia-Neves  2   4 , Armando Mansilha  10   11 , Adhemar Longatto-Filho  2   4   12   13 , Pedro Cunha  2   3   4   7   8
Affiliations

Exploring the Diversity of Visceral, Subcutaneous and Perivascular Adipose Tissue in a Vascular Surgery Population

Joana Ferreira et al. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. .

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity has doubled, with a concomitant increase in cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to compare the characteristics of visceral, subcutaneous and peri-aortic adipose tissue determined with computed tomography (CT) scans and to correlate them with cardiovascular risk factors, anthropometric measures and medication. An observational and prospective study was conducted, and 177 subjects were included. Peri-aortic adipose tissue had the highest density, while the subcutaneous adipose tissue had the lowest. The density of subcutaneous adipose tissue differs from the density of visceral (p = 0.00) and peri-aortic adipose tissue (p = 0.00). Smokers/ex-smokers had a lower area (p = 0.00) and density (p = 0.02) of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that sex was a predictor of subcutaneous adipose tissue area (β = -0.27, t = -3.12, p = 0.00) but smoking habits were not. After controlling for sex, we found that the association between smokers/ex-smokers and area of subcutaneous adipose tissue was lost, but the association with density persisted. Patients with hypertension had a higher visceral adipose tissue area, and this relationship was maintained even after adjusting for gender. Peri-aortic adipose tissue is similar to visceral and distinct from subcutaneous adipose tissue. Cardiovascular risk factors have different influences in distinct adipose compartments.

Keywords: adipose tissue; angiotensin receptor antagonist; angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors; cardiovascular risk factors; inflammation; statins.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Abdominal CT scan showing the peri-aortic adipose tissue identified by the yellow circle. The method used to calculate the peri-aortic adipose tissue is schematically presented.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Density of subcutaneous, visceral, and peri-aortic adipose tissue in the studied population. Application of Kruskal–Wallis test. Density of subcutaneous and perivascular adipose tissue does not have a normal distribution, as determined with Shapiro–Wilk test. * p < 0.05.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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