Why the study?
Gastrointestinal submucosal adipocyte proliferation (SAP) in pathological specimens had not been investigated in detail, prompting an assessment of its relationship with body mass index in Japanese patients.
Gastrointestinal submucosal adipocyte proliferation observed in pathological specimens is positively associated with body mass index.
Should not change reporting of GI submucosal fat; leaves open independent links to IBD or cardiometabolic disease.
Gastrointestinal submucosal adipocyte proliferation (SAP) has been well documented by radiologists, particularly in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, gastrointestinal SAP in pathological specimens of IBD or other conditions has not yet been investigated in detail. A relationship has been reported between gastrointestinal SAP and the body mass index (BMI). Therefore, we herein investigated the relationship between gastrointestinal SAP and BMI in Japanese patients. We examined pathological specimens (45 of the stomach and 52 of the small and large intestines) and divided cases into the following grades: submucosal adipocytes occupying the submucosa layer, <1/3 (Grade 1), 1/3-2/3 (Grade 2), >2/3 (Grade 3). SAP grades were as follows (stomach/small and large intestines): Grade 1 (17 cases/40 cases), Grade 2 (18/6), Grade 3 (10/6). We confirmed the relationship between SAP and BMI in both the stomach and small and large intestines. In conclusion, gastrointestinal SAP in pathological specimens from Japanese patients is associated with BMI.
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Naruki et al. (2026) studied this question.
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