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Associations between visceral adipose tissue, inflammation and sex steroid concentrations in men
Author(s) -
Gautier Alain,
Bonnet Fabrice,
Dubois Séverine,
Massart Catherine,
Grosheny Catherine,
Bachelot Anne,
Aubé Christophe,
Balkau Beverley,
Ducluzeau PierreHenri
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2012.04401.x
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , adipose tissue , sex hormone binding globulin , context (archaeology) , metabolic syndrome , insulin resistance , body mass index , adiponectin , obesity , waist , testosterone (patch) , hormone , biology , androgen , paleontology
Summary Context In men, obesity and the metabolic syndrome are accompanied by decreased testosterone levels, but little is known about the associations between visceral adipose tissue ( VAT ), VAT ‐related inflammation and sex steroids. Objective To examine the relative impact of VAT , abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue ( SAT ) and interleukin 6 ( IL ‐6), a marker of VAT ‐induced inflammation, on testosterone ( T ) and 17β‐oestradiol ( E 2) levels in dysmetabolic men. Methods We study the NUMEVOX cohort of 229 men, aged 27–77 years, who all had at least one metabolic syndrome criterion (on average three). IL ‐6, C ‐reactive protein, Homeostasis Model Assessment of ( HOMA) insulin resistance index ( HOMA ‐ IR ), liver enzymes, E 2, LH , sex hormone‐binding globulin ( SHBG ), T, waist circumference and body mass index ( BMI ) were measured; bioavailable testosterone ( BT ) was calculated from T and SHBG ; MRI ‐assessed VAT and SAT were analysed in 109 of these men. Results Visceral adipose tissue was strongly correlated with E 2 (Spearman r = 0·38, P < 0·001) and with BT / E 2 ratio ( r = −0·42, P < 0·001), while SAT was not correlated with either. IL ‐6 was correlated with E 2 ( r = 0·19, P = 0·007), BT ( r = −0·19, P = 0·006) and BT / E 2 ratio ( r = −0·30 P < 0·001). In multivariate linear analysis, the relation between VAT and E 2 was independent of age, BMI ( P = 0·008), leptin ( P < 0·001), T and SHBG . Log( IL ‐6) was significantly inversely related with log( BT ) ( P = 0·032) independently of age, VAT , leptin and HOMA ‐ IR . Conclusions 17β‐oestradiol levels were positively associated with VAT , but not with SAT , while T and BT were negatively and independently associated with IL ‐6. The significant inverse association between IL ‐6 and T suggests an important role of low‐grade visceral fat inflammation in the central hypogonadism associated with the metabolic syndrome.