Liver-Fat Accumulation and Insulin Resistance in Obese Women with Previous Gestational Diabetes |
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Authors: | Mirja Tiikkainen Marjo Tamminen Anna-Maija Häkkinen Robert Bergholm Satu Vehkavaara Juha Halavaara Kari Teramo Aila Rissanen Hannele Yki-Järvinen MD FRCP |
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Affiliation: | 1. Division of Diabetes, University of Helsinki, Helsinki Finland;2. Department of Oncology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki Finland;3. Department of Radiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki Finland;4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki Finland;5. Obesity Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki Finland |
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Abstract: | Objective: We determined whether fat accumulation in the liver is associated with features of insulin resistance independent of obesity. Research Methods and Procedures: We recruited 27 obese nondiabetic women in whom liver fat (LFAT) content was determined by proton spectroscopy, intra-abdominal and subcutaneous fat by magnetic resonance imaging, and insulin sensitivity by the euglycemic insulin clamp technique. The women were divided based on their median LFAT content (5%) to groups with low (3.2 ± 0.3%) and high (9.8 ± 1.5%) liver fat. The groups were almost identical with respect to age (36 ± 1 vs. 38 ± 1 years in low vs. high-LFAT), body mass index (32.2 ± 0.6 vs. 32.8 ± 0.5 kg/m2), waist-to-hip ratio, intra-abdominal, subcutaneous, and total fat content. Results: Women with high LFAT had features of insulin resistance including higher fasting serum triglyceride (1.93 ± 0.21 vs. 1.11 ± 0.09 mM, p < 0.01) and insulin (14 ± 3 vs. 10 ± 1 mU/L, p < 0.05) concentrations than women with low LFAT. The group with high LFAT also had higher 24-hour blood pressures, and lower whole-body insulin sensitivity compared with the low-LFAT group. Discussion: In obese women with previous gestational diabetes, LFAT, rather than any measure of body composition, is associated with features of insulin resistance. |
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Keywords: | proton spectroscopy magnetic resonance imaging hypertension triglycerides |
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