Evaluation of the relationship between subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness and cardiovascular diseases

This study used anthropometric and morphometric measurements in autopsy cases to investigate the relationship between abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (ASATT) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The main starting point of the study was that obesity, especially morbid obesity, is an important risk factor for CVD. Our study was conducted at Tokat Forensic Medicine Institute on 65 cases in the CVD group and 65 cases in the control group, aged between 18 and 90 years. Anthropometric measurements were performed on the cases. Cardiac parameters and ASATT were measured with a digital caliper, while heart weight was weighed with a precision digital scale. The relationship between ASATT and coronary artery stenosis was analyzed in the CVD group. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to distinguish the CVD risk for both groups. Body mass index (BMI) and ASATT values ​​were higher in the CVD group than in the control group (p < 0.001). In addition, the neck-to-waist ratio was lower in the CVD group than in the control group (p = 0.001), while the waist-to-hip ratio was higher. Cardiac parameters were also higher in the CVD group than in the control group (p < 0.001). There was a correlation between ASATT and the degree of stenosis of the coronary arteries in the CVD group (p = 0.002). ROC analysis showed that ASATT was the strongest CVD risk predictor (AUC = 0.974). The increase in ASATT value is directly proportional to the severity of atherosclerosis and coronary artery stenosis. ASATT value can be used to evaluate CVD risk.