Purpose
The waist circumference is one of the criteria used for the definition of the metabolic syndrome1.
It is also an independent cardiovascular risk factor,
with higher predicting value than the body mass index2.
In retrospective studies it can be difficult to obtain the value of the waist circumference if this data was not specifically measured before.
Moreover,
as the waist circumference changes with time,
it cannot be evaluated retrospectively.
Abdominal CT images fulfill perfectly the purpose of saving a snapshot of the abdominal circumference of...
Methods and Materials
Prospective study in consecutive patients that underwent a programmed abdominal CT in our center between the 17th and the 25th of September 2012.
The AC was measured 4 times:
1.
standing position,
2.
supine position on the CT table,
3.
On CT images with a free-hand elliptical line following skin contour,
using the OsiriX (Geneva,
Switzerland) software.
4.
On CT images using an ellipse perimeter formula,
imputing antero-posterior and transverse abdominal diameters using the RAIM Alma 2010 (Barcelona,
Spain) software.
In all patients a measurement...
Results
The study was proposed to 65 patients.
Three patients denied participating.
A total of 62 patients were included.
The mean age was 61 years (range 32-75),
the percentage of women was 36%.
The mean BMI was 25 (range 18-39).
The mean waist circumference was 93.4cm (range 73-135).
The results of the standing measurement compared with the supine one,
the circumferential estimation on CT images and the ellipse perimeter estimation also on CT images can be found in the table.
A QQ dispersion plot and a...
Conclusion
Our study showed that for abdominal perimeters inferior to 110cm the supine and standing position measurements are equivalent.
The estimation of the abdominal perimeter using either a circumferential line or the formula for the perimeter of an ellipse is also equivalent to the real abdominal perimeter measured in standing position.
References
1.
Alberti,
K.
G.,
Zimmet,
P.,
and Shaw,
J.: Metabolic syndrome--a new world-wide definition.
A Consensus Statement from the International Diabetes Federation.
Diabet Med,
23: 469,
2006.
2.
Janssen,
I.,
Katzmarzyk,
P.
T.,
and Ross,
R.: Body mass index,
waist circumference,
and health risk: evidence in support of current National Institutes of Health guidelines.
Arch Intern Med,
162: 2074,
2002.
3.
Nishida,
C.,
Ko,
G.
T.,
and Kumanyika,
S.: Body fat distribution and noncommunicable diseases in populations: overview of the 2008 WHO Expert Consultation on...