The relationship between coronary atherosclerosis and body fat distribution measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry

Abstract Objective Body fat distribution is closely related to cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between truncal fat distribution and the extent of coronary atherosclerosis. Methods Total body fat and regional body fat distributions were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 746 Korean patients who underwent coronary angiography. The ratios of truncal fat mass to total body fat mass (FM trunk /FM total ), truncal fat mass to fat mass in both legs (FM trunk /FM leg ) and truncal fat mass to fat mass in both arms (FM trunk /FM arm ) were calculated as representative parameters for truncal fat accumulation. The extent of coronary atherosclerosis was assessed using the Gensini score. Results The mean Gensini score of the patients was 21.3 ± 24.4. FM trunk /FM total , FM trunk /FM leg and FM trunk /FM arm revealed positive correlations with the Gensini score (r = 0.242, p  trunk /FM total was associated with the Gensini score independently of age, gender, BMI and major risk factors of coronary heart disease (B = 0.039, p  Conclusion Truncal fat distribution is associated with the extent of coronary atherosclerosis and more clinically relevant to that compared with total body fat or BMI in Korean patients.