Endocrine Abstracts

Background: There is convincing evidence that the increasing of visceral fat is a risk factor for vascular disease. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is characterized by the development of micro-, and later, and macrovascular complications. The aim of the study was to examine features of body composition fat distribution parameters in T1DM patients.

Materials and methods: 96 patients with T1DM (59 women and 37 men) (mean age: 32.52±10.71 years, duration of DM: 12 (7.5–20) years, age of manifestation: 18 (13–23.5) years), BMI: 23.47±3.16, HbA1c: 8.45±1.2% and 54 (30 women and 24 men) controls matched for age, sex, and BMI were examined. Body composition was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Results: Fat mass parameters in T1DM males and controls males were: android fat: 27.41±11.43% vs 28.8±9.67% (P=0.627); gynoid fat: 28.06±7.15% vs 26.74±7.74% (P=0.506); A/G ratio: 0.95±0.24 vs 1.06±0.15 (P=0.048); total body: 23.02±7.9% vs 22.55±7.5% (P=0.819); trunk/total: 0.516±0.07 vs 0.54±0.034 (P=0.094); legs/total: 0.35±0.06 vs 0.32±0.032 (P=0.093); and (arms+legs)/trunk: 0.9±0.28 vs 0.77±0.105 (P=0.034). Similar features in T1DM women and controls women were: android fat: 32.29±8.44% vs 32.37±10.81% (P=0.97); gynoid fat: 41.72±6.63% vs 41.36±7.16% (P=0.81); A/G ratio: 0.76±0.14 vs 0.45±0.05 (P=0.97); total body: 33.25±6.7% vs 32.3±7.59 g (P=0.551); trunk/total: 0.44±0.048 vs 0.45±0.056 (P=0.611); legs/total: 0.412±0.05 vs 0.415±0.054 (P=0.812); and (arms±legs)/trunk: 1.18±0.25 vs 1.17±0.3 (P=0.837). Gynoid (peripheric) fat distribution was positively correlated with the age of T1DM males (r=0.19; P=0.018), however no correlation was found with the duration of the disease, level HbA1c, the total daily insulin dose.

Conclusions: The peripheral type of fat mass distribution is dominated at T1DM males compared with control, while there were no differences in the distribution of adipose tissue among the investigated women. The obtained data indicate gender differences in the distribution of fat mass in T1DM patients.