Correlation Between Midthigh Low- Density Muscle and Insulin Resistance in Obese Nondiabetic Patients in Korea
- Dolmi Kim, MD,
- Suyoun Nam, MD, PHD,
- Chulwoo Ahn, MD, PHD,
- Kyungwook Kim, MD,
- Soojee Yoon, MD,
- Junuh Kim, MD,
- Bongsoo Cha, MD, PHD,
- Sungkil Lim, MD, PHD,
- Kyungrae Kim, MD, PHD,
- Hyunchul Lee, MD, PHD and
- Kapbum Huh, MD, PHD
- From the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Abstract
OBJECTIVE—We investigated the link between lipid-rich skeletal muscle, namely low-density muscle, and insulin resistance in Korea.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Abdominal adipose tissue areas and midthigh skeletal muscle areas of 75 obese nondiabetic subjects (23 men, 52 women; mean age ± SD, 41.9 ± 14.1 years) were measured by computed tomography (CT). The midthigh skeletal muscle areas were subdivided into low-density muscle (0 to +30 Hounsfield units) and normal-density muscle (+31 to +100 Hounsfield units). The homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) score was calculated to assess whole-body insulin sensitivity.
RESULTS—The abdominal visceral fat area and the midthigh low-density muscle area were found to be well correlated with the HOMA score (r = 0.471, P < 0.01 and r = 0.513, P < 0.01, respectively). The correlation between low-density muscle area and insulin resistance persisted after adjusting for BMI or total body fat mass (r = 0.451, P < 0.01 and r = 0.522, P < 0.01, respectively) and even after adjusting for abdominal visceral fat area (r = 0.399, P < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS—The midthigh low-density muscle area seems to be a reliable determinant of insulin resistance in Korean obese nondiabetic patients.
- CT, computed tomography
- HOMA, homeostasis model assessment
- HU, Hounsfield units
- OGTT, oral glucose tolerance test
Footnotes
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Address correspondence and reprint requests to Prof. Dr. Chul-Woo Ahn, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department for Internal Medicine, Yong-dong Severance Hospital, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, 146-92, Dogok-dong, Kangnam-ku, P.O. Box 135-720, Seoul, Korea. E-mail: acw{at}yumc.yonsei.ac.kr.
Received for publication 21 November 2002 and accepted in revised form 23 February 2003.
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