Abdul Fatai Kolawole Bakre, Anthony Chukwuka Ugwu and Michael Promise Ogolodom
Background: This study was designed to quantify abdominal adipose tissue thickness in hypertensive obese subjects using ultrasound and correlate it with biochemical and anthropometric parameters to establish reference range values for adipose tissue thickness in these subjects in this locality. Materials and methods: A prospective study design was adopted in this study and it was conducted at Esteem Diagnostic Medical Services Limited (EDMSL) Lagos State, Nigeria. Ethical approval was obtained from Research Ethics Committee of EDMSL. An informed consent was also obtained from each patient. Information obtained from the patients was treated with high level of confidentiality. A convenience sample size of 112 volunteers was recruited in this study. Standard protocols and parameters were used to obtain the data. Data were processed and analyzed using SPSS version 20, descriptive and inferential statistics. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The study population consisted of 41.96% (n=47) males and 58.04% (n=65) females with age mean of 41.4 ± 10.2 years. The Subcutaneous Adipose tissue (SAT) and Visceral Adipose tissue (VAT) mean ± SD and p-values for male and female subjects were (SAT=30.93 ± 7.97 mm, p=0.012, and SAT=37.08 ± 14.42 mm, p=0.617) for male and female respectively while the (VAT=73.00 ± 8.61 mm, p=0.214 and VAT=71.61 ± 17.40, p=0.006) for male and female respectively. The correlation of VAT with age, BMI, lipid profile and fasting blood sugar levels in male and female hypertensive subjects were assessed and the results showed VAT(Age: Male, r=0.122, p=0.416, female, r=0.082, p=0.517), VAT(LDL: Male, r=0.092, p=0.541, Female, r=0.112,p=0.375), VAT(HDL: Male, r=0.049, p=0.745, Female, r=0.198, p=0.113). Conclusion: Female preponderance was noted in this study. Male subjects had higher values of VAT thickness than their female counterparts, while females were seen with higher values of SAT thickness than their male counterparts. Higher value of blood sugar increases VAT and SAT thickness in female obese subjects more than in male obese subject.
