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Are Obesity Indices Useful for Detecting Subclinical Atheromatosis in a Middle-Aged Population?

Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolism (ODIM) Research Group, IRBLleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain. Unit for the Detection and Treatment of Atherothrombotic Diseases (UDETMA V&R), University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group, IRBLleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain. Respiratory Department, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova-Santa María, Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, IRBLleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain. Stroke Unit, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova. Clinical Neurosciences Group, IRBLleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain. Experimental Medicine Department, IRBLleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain. Institut Català de la Salut, Unitat de Suport a la Recerca Lleida, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), Lleida, Spain. Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain. Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolism (ODIM) Research Group, IRBLleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain, alecube@gmail.com. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain, alecube@gmail.com.

Obesity facts. 2020;(1):29-39
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE There is a close relationship between excess adiposity and cardiovascular disease. Although body mass index (BMI) is the most used approach to estimate excess weight, other anthropometric indices have been developed to measure total body and abdominal adiposity. Here, our objective was to assess the usefulness of these anthropometric indices to detect subclinical atheromatous disease. METHODS A cross-sectional study with 6,809 middle-aged subjects (mean age, 57 [53-63] years) with low to moderate cardiovascular risk from the ILERVAS project. Measures of total body fat (BMI, Clínica Universidad de Navarra - Body Adiposity Estimator [CUN-BAE], and Deurenberg's formula) and central adiposity (waist and neck circumferences, conicity index, waist-to-height ratio, Bonora's equation, the A body adiposity index, and body roundness index) were performed in all participants. Bilateral carotid and femoral ultrasound vascular studies allowed the identification of subjects with plaque. -Results: All measured indices were significantly higher in males with subclinical carotid or femoral plaques (p ≤ 0.021 for all). Also, a positive and significant correlation between all indices and the number of affected territories was found (p ≤ 0.013 for all). From the ROC analysis, all measurements identified patients with asymptomatic atheromatosis but none of them helped make clinical decisions. Regarding females, the results were less conclusive. CONCLUSION Obesity indices are related to subclinical atheromatosis, especially in men, in a large cohort of middle-aged subjects. However, the indices could not detect the presence of arterial plaque, so, when used in isolation, are unlikely to be decisive.