VISCERAL FAT AS A MAIN DETERMINANT OF PLASMINOGEN-ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR-1 LEVEL IN WOMEN

OBJECTIVE: To substantiate in a premenopausal population of women, the link between visceral adipose tissue and circulating plasminogen acti vator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) levels. DESIGN: Study of correlations betwee n anthropometric parameters and PAI-1 and evaluation of the changes in duced by weight loss. SUBJECTS: Forty-two healthy pre-menopausal women (aged 18-51 y, with a wide range of body mass index (BMI, 21-48.8 kg/ m(2)). Thirteen women were evaluated after weight loss (6.6 +/- 3.3 kg ). MEASUREMENTS: BMI, waist and hip circumferences. Total, subcutaneou s and visceral adipose tissue areas at the L3-L4 level by computed tom ography. Insulin, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, PAI-1 ac tivity, PAI-1 antigen and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) antigen. RESULTS: PAI-1 activity, PAI antigen and tPA antigen were positively c orrelated with visceral adipose tissue, but not with subcutaneous adip ose tissue. This correlation was independent of insulin or triglycerid e levels. The amount of visceral adipose tissue explained 28% of the P AI-1 activity variance. Weight loss confirmed this link, PAI-1 diminut ion being correlated only with visceral adipose tissue loss and not wi th total fat, insulin or triglyceride decrease. CONCLUSION: This study suggests, like in vitro studies, that visceral fat may be an importan t contributor to the circulating PAI-1.