Ultrasound measurement of visceral fat in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Background/aim: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a progressive, chronic liver disease with elevated serum lipids, but it is unclear whether hyperlipidemia in PBC patients is associated with atherosclerosis. Metabolic syndrome promotes development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease related to abdominal type obesity and insulin resistance. The aim of our study was to assess abdominal adiposity in patients with PBC.
Methods: The study included 40 patients with PBC and 50 healthy controls. Age, sex and anthropometric measurements (weight, height, body mass index and waist circumference) were registered for all patients and controls. We used ultrasonography to measure subcutaneous (SF) and visceral fat (VF) diameter, subcutaneous area (SA) and visceral area (VA), as well as perirenal fat diameter (PF).
Results: Values of SF, VF and PF thicknesses in PBC patients were 19.23 +/- 5.85 mm, 10.92 +/- 3.63 mm, and 7.03 +/- 1.82 mm, respectively. In controls these measurements were 22.73 +/- 6.70 mm, 16.84 +/-5.51 mm and 10.50 +/- 2.70 mm respectively. In PBC patients SA and VA were calculated to 983.64 +/- 322.68 mm2 and 403.64 +/- 166.97 mm2 and in controls 1124.89 +/- 366.01 mm2 and 720.57 +/- 272.50 mm2 respectively. Significant difference was found for VF, VA and RF values.
Conclusions: Considering that the amount of visceral fat plays an important role in development of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases, we concluded that the lower amount of visceral fat in PBC patients could be related to lower incidence of cardiovascular events, despite hyperlipidemia.