The impact of abdominal adiposity measured by sonography on the pulmonary function of pre-menopausal females

Zied Rasslan; Roberto Stirbulov; Roberto Saad Junior; Sergio Tercio Curia; Carlos Alberto da Conceição Lima; Eduardo Araújo Perez; Ezequiel Fernandes Oliveira; Claudio F. Donner; Luis Vicente Franco Oliveira

doi:10.4081/mrm.2015.298

The impact of abdominal adiposity measured by sonography on the pulmonary function of pre-menopausal females

Authors

Zied Rasslan Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, São Paulo, SP
Roberto Stirbulov Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, São Paulo
Roberto Saad Junior Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, São Paulo
Sergio Tercio Curia Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, São Paulo
Carlos Alberto da Conceição Lima Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in São Paulo, São Paulo
Eduardo Araújo Perez Health Sciences of Santa Casa School of Medicine of Sao Paulo (FCMSCSP), Sao Paulo,
Ezequiel Fernandes Oliveira Nove de Julho University, Sao Paulo,
Claudio F. Donner Mondo Medico, Multidisciplinary and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic, Borgomanero (NO)
Luis Vicente Franco Oliveira Nove de Julho University, Sao Paulo,

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/mrm.2015.298

Keywords:

Abdominal adiposity deposition, Obesity, Respiratory function, Subcutaneous, Sonography, Visceral

Abstract

Background: The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used parameter to study obesity; however it does not assess the distribution of body adiposity. Ultrasonography is a reliable method of measuring subcutaneous (SAT), visceral (VAT) and Total adipose tissue of the abdomen (TAT) to determine the influence of abdominal fat on pulmonary function by directly measuring abdominal adipose tissue.

Methods: Eighty pre-menopausal, non-smoker, sedentary females with no history of pulmonary disease were subdivided into three groups: 25 normal-weight, 28 overweight, 27 obese. Absolute and predictive spirometric values were obtained: FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, IC, ERV.

Results: A positive correlation between increased %IC and decreased %ERV was observed with increased BMI
(p < 0.02; 0.001 respectively); %FVC, %FEV1 and %ERV decreased significantly as SAT (p = 0.01, p = 0.02; p < 0.001) and TAT (p = 0.01, p = 0.03, p < 0.001) increased, whereas VAT was negatively correlated only with %ERV (p < 0.001). Increments of 5 mm in TAT, VAT and SAT were followed by a reduction of 0.83 %, 0.81 %, 1.90 % in %FVC, respectively, as well as a reduction of 4.25 %, 4.31 % and 9.44 % in %ERV, respectively.

Conclusions: Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue deposition in obese females has a greater negative influence on pulmonary function than visceral adipose tissue deposition.