Circulating Levels of Oxidative Stress Markers and Endothelial Adhesion Molecules in Men with Abdominal Obesity

CONTEXT: It has been suggested that oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction could play a role in the higher cardiovascular disease risk noted in the abdominally obese population. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the associations between abdominal fat accumulation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction in men. DESIGN: A complete physical and metabolic profile was assessed in a group of 56 men covering a wide range of adiposity and plasma oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL), and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin, and C-reactive protein concentrations were determined. RESULTS: We found that abdominal visceral adipose tissue was positively associated with plasma OxLDL (r = 0.52; P < 0.0001) and C-reactive protein (r = 0.60; P < 0.0001) concentrations. We also found significant associations between plasma E-selectin levels and hyperinsulinemia (r = 0.39; P < 0.005) as well as with the homeostasis model assessment index of insulin resistance (r = 0.42; P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that plasma OxLDL levels and low-grade systemic inflammation are increased in men with a high visceral adipose tissue accumulation. Furthermore, our results support the notion that insulin resistance is associated with endothelial activation. Overall, our observations give us further insights on the increased cardiovascular disease risk frequently noted among viscerally obese, insulin-resistant individuals.