Relations of Visceral and Abdominal Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue, Body Mass Index, and Waist Circumference to Serum Concentrations of Parameters of Chronic Inflammation

BACKGROUND: Different measures of body fat composition may vary in their relations to parameters of chronic inflammation. METHODS: We assessed the relations of visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), BMI, and waist circumference (WC) to serum concentrations of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), resistin, and adiponectin in 97 healthy adults using multivariate linear regression models, adjusted for age, sex, smoking, physical activity, menopausal status, and use of aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Parameters of chronic inflammation were mutually adjusted. RESULTS: VAT (β = 0.34), SAT (β = 0.43), BMI (β = 0.40), and WC (β = 0.47) were all significantly associated with hs-CRP. BMI was additionally inversely related to adiponectin (β = −0.29). In exploratory subgroup analyses defined by gender, BMI, smoking, and use of aspirin or NSAIDs, VAT was the strongest indicator for increased levels of IL-6, SAT was the most consistent indicator for increased levels of hs-CRP, and BMI was the most consistent indicator for decreased levels of adiponectin. WC showed to be a weak indicator for increased levels of hs-CRP and decreased levels of adiponectin. CONCLUSION: VAT, SAT, BMI, and WC show distinct associations with parameters of chronic inflammation. Whether these differences reflect differential metabolic risks requires clarification by longitudinal studies.