%0 Journal Article
%T Carotid Intima Media Thickness Is Independently Associated with Male Gender, Middle Age, and IGF-1 in Metabolically Healthy Obese Individuals
%A Hala Abd El-Hafez
%A Mohamed M. Elrakhawy
%A Azza A. El-Baiomy
%A Mervat M. El-Eshmawy
%J ISRN Obesity
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/545804
%X Background/Aims. The effect of benign obesity on subclinical cardiovascular disease is still questionable. The purpose of this study was to assess carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, and to evaluate its relation to age, sex, and IGF-1 in metabolically healthy obese (MHO) subjects. Methods. A total of 75 MHO subjects and 80 age, and sex matched healthy nonobese control subjects were included in the study. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, lipid profile, insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and CIMT were assessed in all subjects. Results. MHO subjects had significantly higher CIMT and lower IGF-1 than healthy nonobese controls. Mean CIMT was significantly higher in MHO men age subgroup range from 30 to 50 years than in their age range matched (premenopausal) MHO women subgroup. In MHO subjects, CIMT was positively correlated with age, BMI, WC, SBP, HOMA-IR, TG, and LDL-C, and negatively correlated with IGF-1. Regression analysis revealed that middle age, male sex and IGF-1 remained independently associated with CIMT in MHO subjects. Conclusion. CIMT is elevated and IGF-1 is reduced in MHO subjects, and CIMT is independently associated with male gender, middle age, and IGF-1. Definition of healthy obesity may be broadened to include IMT measurement. 1. Introduction Metabolically healthy obese (MHO) term refers to obese individuals who are relatively insulin sensitive and normotensive and have favourable glucose and lipid profile inspite of high levels of obesity [1, 2]. Evidence suggests that MHO individuals as based on BMI criteria may account for as much as 20¨C30% of obese population [3, 4]. MHO subset of individuals is relatively protected from obesity related cardio-metabolic disturbances that increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in metabolically abnormal obese [5]. However, data concerning the exact risk of CVD in MHO as compared to healthy normal weight individuals is limited, and most data are confined to women at narrow age range. Carotid artery intima media thickness (CIMT) is a non-invasive surrogate marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and an indicator of CVD risk [6, 7]. In addition, IMT is associated with age, male gender, obesity, and traditional risk factors [8¨C11]. Beside traditional CVD risk factors, obesity is associated with changes in insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) [12, 13] which may be linked to atherosclerosis. Previous studies concerning the association between IGF-1 and atherosclerosis have
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.obesity/2014/545804/