Periaortic Fat Deposition Is Associated With Peripheral Arterial Disease

Background—Central obesity is associated with peripheral arterial disease, suggesting that ectopic fat depots may be associated with localized diseases of the aorta and lower-extremity arteries. We hypothesized that persons with greater amounts of periaortic fat are more likely to have clinical PAD and a low ankle-brachial index. Methods and Results—We quantified periaortic fat surrounding the thoracic aorta using a novel volumetric quantitative approach in 1205 participants from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort (mean age, 65.9 years; women, 54%); visceral abdominal fat also was measured. Clinical peripheral arterial disease was defined as a history of intermittent claudication, and ankle-brachial index was dichotomized as low ( 0.9) or lower-extremity revascularization versus normal ( 0.9 to 1.4). Regression models were created to examine the association between periaortic fat and intermittent claudication or low ankle-brachial index (n 66). In multivariable logistic regression, per 1 SD increase in periaortic fat, the odds ratio for the combined end point was 1.52 (P 0.004); these results were strengthened with additional adjustment for body mass index (odds ratio, 1.69; P 0.002) or visceral abdominal fat (odds ratio, 1.67; P 0.009), whereas no association was observed for visceral abdominal fat (P 0.16). Similarly, per SD increase in body mass index or waist circumference, no association was observed after accounting for visceral abdominal fat (body mass index, P 0.35; waist circumference, P 0.49). Conclusions—Periaortic fat is associated with low ABI and intermittent claudication. (Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2010; 3:515-519.)