| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3484164 | Journal of Nanjing Medical University | 2007 | 6 Pages |
ObjectiveTo compare intervertebral location L2-L3 with L4-L5 as landmarks for measuring abdominal fat distribution and to determine critical levels of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) at those planes, exceeding which may lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.MethodsAbdominal fat distribution was measured using computed tomography(CT) in 29 diabetics (19 male, 10 female) and 30 non-diabetics (18 male, 12 female). CT images obtained at two intervertebral locations L2-L3 and L4-L5 were used to measure the areas of total fat, VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) using slice thickness of 5mm and an attenuation range from −190 to −30 Hounsfield units (HU). Data were analyzed using logistic regression and Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.ResultsAt L2-L3, diabetes and obesity were correctly classified at 91.53% and 83.05% respectively, while at L4-L5, the same were correctly classified at 84.75% and 88.14% respectively. VAT compared to SCAT, had significantly higher correctly classified percent values for predicting diabetes in both measurement sites. At L2-L3, VAT ≥ 177.29 cm2 or VAT ≥ 51.52% of the total fat area had the highest correctly classified value for predicting diabetes in men, while VAT ≥ 132.27 cm2 or VAT ≥ 45.7% of the total fat area had the highest correctly classified value for predicting diabetes in women. At L4-L5. VAT ≥ 130.82 cm2 or VAT ≥ 45.54% of the total fat area had the highest correctly classified value for predicting diabetes in men, while VAT ≥ 118.56 cm2 or VAT ≥ 32.24% of the total fat area had the highest correctly classified value for predicting diabetes in women.ConclusionL2-L3 plane is a better landmark for measuring abdominal fat distribution for predicting diabetes, while abdominal fat distribution measured at L4-L5 has better association with obesity. Regardless of the measurement site, VAT compared to SCAT, has significantly stronger association with diabetes.
