Key result
Turner syndrome is linked to increased intrahepatocellular lipids and visceral fat, strongly correlating with estrogen-deficient years.
Why the study?
Obesity in women with Turner syndrome is predominantly central and linked to increased atherosclerosis risk, but insulin concentrations are unexpectedly low, prompting investigation of fat distribution and content.
Do women with Turner syndrome have altered fat distribution and intrahepatocellular lipid content compared to normal controls?
Case-Control (n=12)
Do women with Turner syndrome have altered fat distribution and intrahepatocellular lipid content compared to normal controls?
Effect estimate: r = 0.928
p-value: p=0.008
Women with Turner syndrome have excess visceral and hepatic adipose tissue despite low insulin levels, with hepatic lipid content associated with estrogen deficiency.
Links estrogen deficiency duration to hepatic steatosis in Turner syndrome; hypothesis-generating for HRT trials.
Obesity, predominantly centrally distributed, is common in women with Turner syndrome (TS) and is thought to contribute to the increased risk of atherosclerosis; however, insulin concentrations are unexpectedly low. To explore this discrepancy, we assessed fat content and distribution by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and bioelectrical impedance (BI). Six nondiabetic, estrogen-treated women with TS were compared with six age-matched normal controls of similar body mass index. Clinical history, anthropometric measurements, biochemical markers, and MRI and BI measures of adiposity were assessed. TS women had increased intrahepatocellular lipids (IHCL) on MRI. After height adjustment, they also had an excess of total and visceral compared with sc adipose tissue (AT) than controls, without elevated insulin concentrations. BI and MRI measures correlated strongly for total and sc, but not visceral, AT in TS. IHCL was associated with cumulative estrogen-deficient years (r = 0.928; P = 0.008). Women with TS depart from the classical picture of metabolic syndrome despite an excess of total and visceral AT on MRI. Elevated IHCL in TS is associated with estrogen deficiency. BI may be useful to estimate total body fat, but does not reliably localize fat depots in TS.
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Ostberg et al. (2005) conducted a case-control in Turner syndrome (n=12). Turner syndrome vs. Age-matched normal controls was evaluated on Fat content and distribution assessed by MRI and BI (r = 0.928, p=0.008). Women with Turner syndrome had increased intrahepatocellular lipids, which strongly correlated with cumulative estrogen-deficient years (r = 0.928; P = 0.008), and excess visceral adipose tissue.
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