Application of Visceral Adiposity Index and Anthropometry to Identify Preclinical Atherosclerosis in Menopausal...

Obesity is associated with a major prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and high risk of cardiovascular events and contributes to the increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Abdominal obesity is a main predictive factor of the metabolic syndrome, so it is certain that it represents a preferable marker of cardiovascular risk than generalized obesity. Visceral adiposity index (VAI) has recently been suggested to be used as a surrogate of visceral adiposity.

We compared the predictive abilities of the VAI with those of simple anthropometric measures in preclinical atherosclerosis, as assessed by ultrasonographic measurement of carotid intima media thickness (CIMT).

This is observational cross-sectional study involving 130 menopausal status women voluntarily recruited from Suranaree University of Technology Hospital, Thailand. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-height ratio (WHtR) and lipid profile were determined. VAI was calculated. CIMT was assessed using a high-resolution B mode ultrasound system.

Total 114/130 menopausal status participants, 16 participants were excluded from morbid obesity and high triglyceride >400 mg/dL. About 22.3% had preclinical atherosclerosis on carotid ultrasound. Positive correlation was found between CIMT and WC (r = 0.20, p = 0.04), and WHR (r = 0.25, <0.01) and WHtR (r = 0.24, p = 0.01). However, there was no correlation between VAI and CIMT.

Using VAI instead of simple anthropometric measures may lead to loss of much information needed for predicting preclinical atherosclerosis. WC, WHR, and WHtR were both superior to VAI in predicting CIMT.