PURPOSE: The diameter of the abdominal aorta is an important criterion for making the diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm. But the diagnostic criteria for the aortic diameters and the aneurysms are based on western people' s data, and there is scant data on this for Koreans. In this study, we measured a normal range of the abdominal aortic diameter of Korean adults and we classified the diameters according to age, gender and the body mass index (BMI). METHODS: The data is based on 496 patients (male: 281, female: 215) who had no evidence of vascular disease on abdominal multi detector computed tomography exams that were been done between October through December of year 2007 at our hospital. The abdominal aorta was measured at the smallest outer diameter of the infrarenal aorta and the upper bifurcation level. The age of the patients was from 20 to 70 years-old and the patients were divided into 6 groups by age. The patients were also divided into three groups according to their BMI (the low weight, normal weight and over weight groups). We computed the average and standard deviation of the aortic dimensions from each group. RESULTS: The average diameter at the infrarenal aorta was 18.32 mm and that at the upper bifurcation level was 17.25 mm. The males' average aortic diameter at the infrarenal aorta and at the upper bifurcation level was 19.23 mm and 18.10 mm, respectively, and those values for the females were 17.09 mm and 16.20 mm, respectively. In both the males and females, the diameter increased with increasing patient age (P<01). For the BMI, the diameter was larger for the higher BMI group. CONCLUSION: For the normal Korean population, the diameter of the abdominal aorta increases with aging and with an increased BMI, but the changes were relatively smaller as compared with the western normal range. More studies are needed to determine Koreans' normal range of the diameter of the abdominal aorta and this data can be applied to the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Adult ; Aging ; Aneurysm ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reference Values ; Vascular Diseases

Obesity was characterized in Korean elementary students using different obesity assessment tests on 103 overweight elementary students from three schools of Jeonbuk Province. The body mass index (BMI) and obesity index (OI) were compared, and the data using DEXA and CT were compared with the data using BIA and a tape measure. The results of this study are as follows: first, 27 students who were classified as obese by OI were classified as overweight by BMI, and 3 students who were classified as standard weight by BMI were classified as overweight by OI. Secondly, by DEXA and BIA measurements, there was 1.51% difference in body fat percentage (boys 1.66%, girls 1.17%) and the difference in body fat mass between boys and girls was 0.77 kg (boys 0.85 kg, girls 0.59 kg), but those differences in body fat percentage and mass were not statistically significant. Thirdly, the average total abdominal fat (TAF) measured by CT scans of obese children was more significantly related with subcutaneous fat (r = 0.983, P < 0.01) than visceral fat (r = 0.640, P < 0.01). Also, TAF were highest significant with waist circumference by a tape measure (r = 0.744, P < 0.01). In summary, as there are some differences of assessment results between two obesity test methods (BMI, OI), we need more definite standards to determine the degree of obesity. The BIA seems to be the most simple and effective way to measure body fat mass, whereas waist/hip ratio (WHR) using a tape measurer is considered to be the most effective method for assessing abdominal fat in elementary students.
Abdominal Fat ; Adipose Tissue ; Anthropometry ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Waist Circumference

OBJECTIVE: Patients with schizophrenia are at a higher risk for developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, few studies have examined abdominal fat and mid-thigh low-density muscle areas, which are known risk factors for insulin resistance and T2DM, in patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, we measured the abdominal fat and mid-thigh low-density muscle areas of schizophrenics and compared them with normal controls. METHODS: Nineteen (four men and 15 women) drug-naive or -free subjects who met the DSM IV criteria for schizophrenia and 19 age- and sex-matched controls were recruited. We measured weight, height, waist circumference, and percent body fat, and calculated the body mass index (BMI). Abdominal fat and mid-thigh low-density muscle areas were evaluated using computed tomography. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in terms of age and BMI between the two groups. The areas of abdominal fat (262.4+/-101.8 vs. 257.1+/-93.8 cm2 ; p=0.919), subcutaneous fat (182.4+/-72.8 vs. 180.5+/-75.1 cm2 ; p=0.988), visceral fat (79.9+/-47.2 vs. 76.6+/-49.3 cm2 ; p=0.872), and mid-thigh low-density muscle (15.0+/-9.9 vs. 15.4+/-5.2 cm2, p=0.373) did not differ between schizophrenics and controls. CONCLUSION: Abdominal obesity is a well-recognized risk factor for developing certain medical conditions such as insulin resistance and T2DM. We demonstrated that drug-naive or- free patients with schizophrenia do not have increased visceral fat or mid-thigh low-density muscle areas, which might have explained the higher prevalence of insulin resistance and T2DM in these patients.
Abdominal Fat* ; Adipose Tissue ; Body Mass Index ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Male ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Schizophrenia* ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Waist Circumference

PURPOSE: Visceral obesity is a more reliable indicator of cardiovascular risk factor than BMI. Our study was designed to compare the prevalence of visceral obesity in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients to hemodialysis (HD) patients with abdominal fat CT in a single center. METHODS: In this cross sectional study, the result of abdominal fat CT of dialysis patients was investigated from January, 2007 to March, 2007 in Uijeongbu St. Mary s Hospital. To evaluate the risk factors related to visceral obesity, we analyzed patients medical records such as duration of dialysis, lipid profiles, anthropometric data and the presence of DM. RESULTS: We enrolled 65 HD patients and 67 PD patients. PD group had higher mean body weight, mean body mass index (BMI), and triglyceride level, compared to HD group. The PD group had higher visceral fat area, measured by abdominal fat CT than HD group. The prevalence of visceral obesity was higher in PD group than HD group. Visceral fat area showed positive co-relation with BMI in HD group, but did not in PD group. The age related prevalence of visceral obesity was significantly increased in the patients with older age group (>65). CONCLUSION: Our cross sectional study points to the fact that visceral obesity is more common in PD patients than HD patients. It is necessary to control weight and nutritional status, especially in PD patients for preventing metabolic complications.
Abdominal Fat ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Dialysis ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Medical Records ; Nutritional Status ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Prevalence ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess whether increased intestinal gas or fat content in the abdominal cavity is related to abdominal bloating, using three-dimensional abdominal computed tomography scan. METHODS: Twenty-nine healthy individuals without abdominal bloating and organic disease (15 women; mean age, 49 years; range of age, 23–73 years) and 30 patients with chronic recurrent abdominal bloating-diagnosed with functional bloating (10 women; mean age, 53 years; range of age, 35–75 years) - participated in this study. The mean values of measured parameters were compared using independent sample t-test. RESULTS: The mean volume of total colon gas in bloated patients was similar to that in control subjects. The distribution of intra-abdominal gas was also similar between the two groups. However, the amount of gas in the transverse colon tended to be significantly higher in patients with bloating than in controls (p=0.06). Body mass index was similar between the two groups (23.4±3.2 kg/m2 and 22.3±3.1 kg/m2, respectively). Moreover, no significant differences with respect to circumferential area, subcutaneous fat, visceral fat area, and total fat area were found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Bloating might not just be the result of gastrointestinal gas or intra-abdominal fat. Other contributing factors, such as localized abnormality in gas distribution and visceral hypersensitivity, may be involved.
Abdominal Cavity ; Abdominal Fat* ; Body Mass Index ; Colon ; Colon, Transverse ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Contents ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Subcutaneous Fat

BACKGROUND: Cut-off values for visceral fat area (VFA) measured by computed tomography (CT) for identifying individuals at risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) have not been clearly established in Korean adults, particularly for large populations. We aimed to identify optimal VFA and waist circumference (WC) cut-off values and compare the ability of VFA and WC to predict the presence of ≥2 metabolic risk factors. METHODS: We included 36,783 subjects aged 19–79 years undergoing abdominal fat CT during regular health checkups between January 2007 and February 2015 in Seoul. The risk factors for MetS except WC were based on the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to determine the appropriate VFA and WC cut-off values for MetS. RESULTS: VFA was a more significant predictor of metabolic risk factors than WC and body mass index (BMI). The optimal cut-off values for VFA and WC were 134.6 cm2 and 88 cm for men and 91.1 cm2 and 81 cm for women, respectively. We estimated age-specific cut-off values for VFA, WC, and BMI. VFA cut-off values increased with age, particularly among women. CONCLUSION: This large population study proposed the cut-off values for VFA and WC for identifying subjects at risk of MetS among Korean adults. For more accurate diagnosis, different age-specific cut-off values for VFA and WC may be considered.
Abdominal Fat ; Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat* ; Male ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Risk Factors ; ROC Curve ; Seoul ; Waist Circumference

PURPOSE: Primary epiploic appendagitis (PEA) is a rare cause of an acute abdomen. It can be clinically misdiagnosed as either diverticulitis or appendicitis on clinical examination because the clinical symptoms and signs of PEA are non-specific. The present study was performed to describe the clinical characteristics of PEA and to assess the differences between PEA and diverticulitis. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records and radiologic findings of 31 consecutive patients with PEA and compared them with those of patients with diverticulitis without complications. RESULTS: In most cases, abdominal pain was localized to the right (13 cases, 41.9%) or left (13 cases, 41.9%) lower quadrants. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting were infrequent, and localized tenderness without peritoneal irritation was common. All patients were afebrile, and only 4 patients (12.9%) showed leukocytosis. In all cases except one, a pericolic fatty mass with a hyperattenuated ring was observed on computed tomography. Patients with left PEA were younger than those with diverticulitis (41.4 +/- 11.9 vs. 69.7 +/- 13.3, P < 0.001), and the mean body mass index was higher in patients with left PEA (26.4 +/- 2.9 vs. 22.6 +/- 3.4, P = 0.01). Whereas one patient (6.7%) with left PEA showed leukocytosis, the incidence of leukocytosis in patients with diverticulitis was 80% (8/10) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In patients with an acute abdomen showing localized tenderness without associated symptoms or leukocytosis, a high index of suspicion for PEA is necessary. For correct diagnosis and proper management, it would useful for surgeons to be aware of the computed tomographic findings and the natural course of the disease.
Abdomen, Acute ; Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis ; Body Mass Index ; Diverticulitis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukocytosis ; Nausea ; Peas ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between obesity defined by body mass index (BMI) and metabolic status in the elderly. METHODS: The correlates of combined BMI (normal weight, <23.0; overweight, 23.0 to 24.9; obese, > or =25.0 kg/m2) and metabolic status (metabolically healthy, 0 or 1 metabolic abnormality; metabolically abnormal, > or =2 metabolic abnormalities) were assessed in a cross sectional sample of 1,043 subjects aged 60 years and older. Metabolic abnormalities included abdominal obesity, elevated levels of triglyceride and fasting glucose, elevated blood pressure, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. RESULTS: Only abdominal obesity was significantly associated with overweight and obese phenotypes among the metabolically healthy and abnorrnal subjects. The correlations of the metabolically healthy and abnormal status with behavioral characteristics among normal-weight and obese subjects were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Of the included metabolic abnormalities, only abdominal obesity was observed to be associated with obesity as defined by the BMI in our elderly subjects. Further studies are needed into the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying these different phenotypes and their impact on health in the elderly.
Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Overweight ; Phenotype

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency with which ultrasonography (US) provides a correct diagnosis and suggests appropriate guidance for the treatment of patients with right lower quadrant abdominal pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During an 11-month period, US was consecutively performed in 84 patients who were presented with right lower quadrant abdominal pain. In the 76 [M ; F=16 ; 60, age range 14 -87 (mean, 41) years] who formed the study population, final diagnoses were made surgically or clinically. For US, a 5 -7-MHz convex-array, 4-MHz vector-array, and/or 7-MHz linear-array transducer was used, according to the patient 's body habitus. To determine how often our US reports had provided a correct diagnosis and suggested appropriate guidance for surgical or medical treatment, and to calculate their diagnostic value, the reports were retrospectively compared with final diagnoses. RESULTS: US diagnoses were acute appendicitis in 40 patients (53%), diseases other than this in 25 patients (33%), and no abnormality in 11 (14%). In 38 of the 40 patients (95%), the diagnosis of acute appendicitis was surgically confirmed as correct, and for other diseases, diagnoses based on the findings of US proved to be correct in 21 of 25 patients (84%). Overall, diagnosis was correct in 67 (88%). As regards appropriate guidance for treatment, 46 (61%) and 30 (39%) patients were diagnosed by US to have surgical and medical diseases, respectively. In 44 of the 46 (96%), it was confirmed guidance was appropriate, and for the 30 with medical disease, this was so in all but one case (97%). Overall, the treatment plan was appropriate in 72 patients (95%). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that US was able to provide a correct diagnosis in 88% of patients with right lower quadrant abdominal pain, and in 95% of these, the treatment plan suggested was appropriate. US is, therefore, a valuable screening tool in the diagnosis and therapeutic guidance of such patients.
Abdominal Pain* ; Appendicitis ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Transducers ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of body mass index (BMI) and abdominal fatness of women in postpartum period, and to evaluate the relationship between two factors. METHODS: Sixty uncomplicated postpartum women were included. BMI and abdominal fatness using bioelectric impedance method were measured three times; at postpartum one day, one week, and six weeks. RESULTS: Mean BMI was 25.9+/-3.9 kg/m2, 24.8+/-3.8 kg/m2, 23.5+/-3.8 kg/m2, and abdominal fatness was 0.843+/-0.058, 0.850+/-0.054, 0.849+/-0.056 at postpartum one day, one week, and six weeks, respectively. The incidence of overweight women (BMI 23-24.9 kg/m2) was 35%, 25%, 20%, and the incidence of obesity women (BMI> or =25 kg/m2) was 45%, 38.3%, 26.7%, and the incidence of android obesity (abdominal fatness>0.85) was 43.3%, 43.3%, 38.3% at each three postpartum period. The cut-off values of BMI to predict android obesity was >24.9 kg/m2, >23.2 kg/m2, and >22.6 kg/m2 at postpartum one day, one week, and six weeks, respectively. CONCLUSION: The changes of postpartum body weight must be explored with abdominal fatness as well as BMI, and standard references for each postpartum periods are needed.
Abdominal Fat* ; Body Mass Index* ; Body Weight ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Postpartum Period*