A new method for treatment differentiation beyond weight loss
LINKÖPING, Sweden, March 11, 2024 – AMRA researchers together with authors from Linköping University, Nantes Université, University Hospitals Cleveland, and Eli Lilly and Company, used personalized visceral, subcutaneous, and liver fat z-scores to investigate the link between patterns of fat distribution and cardiometabolic risk, independent of body weight and body mass index (BMI). The study results are presented in an article published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Personalized fat z-scores are especially useful in obesity, where the excess amount of fat may obscure the individual’s specific fat distribution pattern. During follow-up of weight loss interventions, it is difficult to determine whether the treatment had a targeted effect on for example visceral fat, meaning a larger reduction than expected from the weight loss alone. The use of personalized fat z-scores may help to further this understanding and describe shifts in fat distribution patterns beyond weight loss.
The study, utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 35,138 UK Biobank participants without cardiovascular disease (CVD) or type 2 diabetes (T2D) at baseline, found that larger amounts of visceral fat than expected from BMI (z-score > 0) was consistently linked to future CVD and T2D incidence. The authors conclude that when a person expresses this phenotype, the skewness (or balance) between visceral fat and liver fat/subcutaneous fat could help further determine their specific cardiometabolic risk profile. A lower-than-expected subcutaneous fat (z-score < 0), was for example associated with an increased risk of both CVD and T2D.
Ian J. Neeland, at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center commented: “Using a z-score to describe body fat distribution is more informative and actionable than using absolute values or relative percent changes. We really want to know if an individual’s body fat profile deviates from what we would expect for their overall body size since this can have important implications for cardiometabolic risk and guide treatment decisions. The z-score has the potential to transform adiposity research and provide a more personalized approach to obesity assessment and management.”
The study adds to the growing literature illustrating that more personalized descriptions of fat distribution phenotypes provide clinically meaningful information about the individual’s specific cardiometabolic risk profile which may aid in tailoring of obesity treatments.
Read the full publication titled ‘Skewness in Body fat Distribution Pattern Links to Specific Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Profiles’ at https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgad570
About AMRA Medical
AMRA Medical is a health informatics company at the forefront of medical imaging and precision medicine. The company has developed a new global standard in body composition analysis, delivering multiple fat and muscle biomarkers with unrivaled accuracy and precision – all from a rapid whole-body MRI scan. AMRA offers clinical services and research services to support transformative care and vital decision-making, from clinical research to clinical care.
Learn more about AMRA Medical’s MRI-based solutions at https://amramedical.com/solutions or connect with our team of experts for a detailed discussion at info@amramedical.com.
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