Anthropometric Prediction of Visceral Adipose Tissue in Persons With Motor Complete Spinal Cord Injury.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in increased accumulation of visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Anthropometrics may provide an alternative to estimate VAT cross-section area (CSA) compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

OBJECTIVE: To validate the use of anthropometrics, including abdominal circumference and skinfold thickness (SFT ) measurements against MRI to predict subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and VAT cross-sectional areas in persons with SCI.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional.

SETTING: Clinical research center PARTICIPANT: Twenty-two men with motor complete SCI METHODS: Anthropometric measurements and MRI were taken during a single visit. Abdominal circumference and SFT were used to derive prediction equations for subcutaneous adipose tissue (SATAnthro-CSA ) and VAT (VATAnthro-CSA ). Three-axial MRI at the level of umbilicus was used to establish the prediction equations. VATAnthro-CSA was compared against body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and SFT . Bland-Altman plots were used to determine limits of agreement between prediction equations and MRI.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: SAT and VAT cross-sectional areas.

RESULTS: SATAnthro-CSA explained 76% of the variance in SAT cross-sectional area (r2 = 0.76, standard error of the estimate [SEE] = 49.5 cm2 , P <.001). VATAnthro-CSA explained 72% of VAT cross-sectional area (r2 = 0.72, SEE = 45.8 cm2 , P <.001). Compared to VATAnthro-CSA , BMI, waist circumference, and SFT explained only 37%, 63%, and 31%, respectively, in the variance of VAT MRI.

CONCLUSION: Abdominal circumference and SFT demonstrated an alternative way to predict VAT CSA. VATAnthro-CSA estimated VATMRI more accurately than BMI, waist circumference, and SFT in individuals with chronic SCI.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.