Body mass index and waist circumference as determinants of coronary artery disease in Taiwanese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and coronary artery disease (CAD) in Taiwanese type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: A total of 1183 (558 men and 625 women) patients aged 62.4+/-11.6 years were studied. CAD was diagnosed by history or an electrocardiogram by Minnesota codes. RESULTS: The respective cutoffs of BMI and WC as determined by the receiver operating characteristic curves were 24.5 kg/m2 and 90 cm for men, and 25 kg/m2 and 80 cm for women. Distributions of CAD prevalence and multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (MAOR) for BMI cutoffs of 24.5 and 25 kg/m2 were quite similar in men. MAOR for WC above the respective cutoffs for men and women was 1.832 (1.267-2.648) and 1.450 (0.956-2.200, 0.05 or = 25 kg/m2 was 1.759 (1.213-2.551) and 1.471 (1.052-2.058) for men and women, respectively. Patients with BMI> or = 25 kg/m2 and WC > or = 90 cm for men or > or = 80 cm for women had the highest risk of CAD when compared to those without either risk factor, with respective MAOR of 2.053 (1.352-3.118) and 1.698 (1.071-2.691). CONCLUSION: The recommended BMI and WC cutoffs for obesity for Asian adults are associated with CAD in Taiwanese T2DM.