Table 2.
Anthropometric, body composition, metabolic profile and liver status in subjects with MetS according to VAT sex-specific tertiles.
| Tertiles of visceral adipose tissue (kg) |
p value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 |
T2 |
T3 |
||
| (n = 86) | (n = 84) | (n = 84) | ||
| Men | (1.29 to ⩽2.42) | (>2.42 to ⩽3.10) | (>3.10 to 5.45) | |
| Women | (0.77 to ⩽1.60) | (>1.60 to ⩽2.06) | (>2.06 to 3.59) | |
| Total | (0.77 to 2.42) | (>1.60 to 3.10) | (>2.06 to 5.45) | |
| Anthropometric and body composition | ||||
| BMI (kg/m2) | 30.3 (29.7−30.9)a,b,c | 32.0 (31.4−32.6)b,c | 34.1 (33.5−34.8) | <0.001 |
| WC (cm) | 101.0 (99.5−102.6)a,b,c | 106.3 (104.8−107.8)b,c | 113.1 (111.5−114.6) | <0.001 |
| VAT (kg) | 1.7 (1.6−1.8)a,b,c | 2.3 (2.2−2.4)b,c | 3.1 (3.0−3.2) | <0.001 |
| Glucose profile | ||||
| Glucose (mg/dl) | 115.1 (108.0−122.2) | 118.2 (111.2−125.2) | 123.6 (1116.6−130.6) | 0.247 |
| HbA1c (%) | 6.0 (5.8−6.2) | 6.2 (6.0−6.4) | 6.2 (6.0−6.5) | 0.281 |
| TyG | 8.8 (8.7−8.9)a,b,c | 9.0 (8.9−9.1) | 9.1 (9.0−9.2) | 0.001 |
| Insulin (mU/l) | 10.2 (8.5−11.9)a,b,c | 13.8 (12.1−15.4) | 16.5 (14.9−18.2) | <0.001 |
| HOMA-IR | 2.9 (2.3−3.4)a,b,c | 4.1 (3.5−4.6) | 5.0 (4.5−5.5) | <0.001 |
| Lipid profile | ||||
| Total cholesterol (mg/dl) | 198.0 (190.2−205.8) | 201.2 (193.4−209.0) | 205.6 (197.7−213.5) | 0.411 |
| LDL-c (mg/dl) | 125.5 (118.5−132.5) | 125.8 (118.7−132.9) | 129.1 (121.8−136.4) | 0.747 |
| HDL-c (mg/dl) | 47.8 (45.6−49.9) | 45.5 (43.3−47.6) | 45.9 (43.7−48.1) | 0.315 |
| VLDL-c (mg/dl) | 25.0 (22.2−27.7)a,b,c | 30.2 (27.4−32.9) | 32.4 (29.7−35.2) | <0.001 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dl) | 124.8 (111.0−138.5)a,b,c | 150.9 (137.2−164.5) | 162.1 (148.3−175.9) | <0.001 |
| TG/HDL-c ratio | 2.9 (2.4−3.3)a,c | 3.6 (3.1−4.0) | 3.8 (3.4−4.3) | 0.008 |
| Liver status | ||||
| ALT (U/l) | 23.3 (19.1−27.4)a,c | 29.2 (25.1−33.3) | 32.0 (27.9−36.1) | 0.013 |
| AST (U/l) | 21.8 (19.0−24.6) | 24.2 (21.4−26.9) | 25.0 (22.2−27.7) | 0.268 |
| GGT (U/l) | 37.2 (28.7−45.6) | 46.8 (38.5−55.2) | 40.7 (32.2−49.2) | 0.272 |
| FGF-21 (pg/ml)* | 378.5 (294.5−462.5) | 484.7 (403.8−565.6) | 430.5 (346.7−514.4) | 0.207 |
| FLI (arbitrary units) | 66.6 (63.9−69.3)a,b,c | 79.8 (77.1−82.5)b,c | 86.9 (84.2−89.6) | <0.001 |
| HSI (arbitrary units) | 40.2 (39.4−41.1)a,b,c | 43.2 (42.2−44.1)b,c | 45.9 (45.1−46.8) | <0.001 |
FGF-21 available in 211 patients.
p < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Data are expressed as mean (95% CI). Variables were adjusted by age (years), physical activity (MET hours/week), energy intake (kcal/d), alcohol intake (g) and smoking status (never, former, current).
Data is stratified by VAT sex- specific tertiles.
Significant differences between T1 vs T2.
Significant differences between T1 vs T3.
Significant differences between T2 vs T3.
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BMI, body mass index; FGF-21, fibroblast growth factor- 21; FLI, fatty liver index; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; HbA1c, glycated haemoglobin A1c; HDL-c, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance; HSI, hepatic steatosis index; LDL-c, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; MET, Metabolic Equivalent Task; MetS, metabolic syndrome; TG/HDL ratio, triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein ratio; TyG, triglyceride glucose; VAT, visceral adipose tissue; VLDL-c, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; WC, waist circumference.