Higher central fat mass and lower peripheral lean mass are independent determinants of endothelial dysfunction in the elderly: The Hoorn study

Objective

To investigate whether an adverse body composition is associated with endothelial dysfunction (ED) and the extent to which any such association could be explained by low-grade inflammation (LGI) and/or insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR).

Methods

We studied 475 individuals from the Hoorn Study [mean (range) age, 68.9 (60–87) years, 245 women). Body composition was assessed by whole body dual-energy absorptiometry. Endothelial dysfunction was measured functionally, by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and by circulating biomarkers. Associations were examined with multiple linear regression models and mediation analyses according to the ab product of coefficients method.

Results

After adjustment for age, sex, glucose metabolism status, prior cardiovascular disease and lifestyle factors, total and central fat mass were positively associated with the ED score [β = 0.16 (95% CI 0.04–0.29) and β = 0.18 (0.05–0.31), respectively] and inversely, although not statistically significantly, with FMD. Peripheral fat mass was not associated with the ED score or FMD. There was a significant favourable association between peripheral lean mass and FMD [β = 0.13 (0.00–0.26)], but not with the ED score. The association between total and central fat mass and the ED score was, to a great extent, mediated by LGI and HOMA2-IR. In contrast, LGI or HOMA2-IR did not mediate the association between peripheral lean mass and FMD.

Conclusion

Higher levels of central, but not peripheral fat mass were adversely associated with ED, which was attributable to body composition-related LGI and insulin resistance. In contrast, peripheral lean mass was beneficially associated with ED, but this seemed to be unrelated to LGI or insulin resistance.