This is a cross-sectional study of 1336 Korean men free of cardiovascular disease who underwent CAC score (CACS) by multislice computed tomography (CT) and abdominal CT as part of a routine medical examination. VAT area was measured at the level of the umbilicus using CT.
Mean BMI, WC, total adipose tissue and VAT area were higher in subjects with moderate-to-severe CAC (CACS > 100) compared to subjects with CACS ≤ 100. The subjects in the fourth quartile of VAT had significantly higher CACS and the greater prevalence of CAC presence and moderate-to-severe CAC than those in the first to third quartiles. The highest quartiles of BMI, WC and VAT area were significantly associated with moderate-to-severe CAC in the age- and CVD risk factor-adjusted model (OR [95 % CI] = 1.56 [1.11–2.19], 1.56 [1.12–2.18] and 1.42 [1.01–1.98] with p < 0.05 for all, respectively).
The higher levels of general and central measure of obesity and the amount of abdominal visceral fat were related to moderate-to-severe CAC in asymptomatic Korean men with relatively low risk.