The feasibility of anthropometric measurements for evaluation of abdominal obesity in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: total kidney volume (TKV) increases in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), which perturbs anthropometric measurements. Objectives: the primary objectives were to investigate the accuracy of waist circumference (NC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) for determining abdominal obesity in patients with ADPKD by comparison with magnetic resonance images. The secondary objectives were to investigate the associations of energy/macronutrient intake with WC and WHR. Methods: sixty patients with ADPKD were recruited from a nephrology outpatient clinic in this cross-sectional study. Main outcome measures were: TIN, total subcutaneous fat (TSF), total intraperitoneal fat (TIF), WC, WHR, body mass index (BMI), skinfold thickness (SET), and energy/macronutrient intake. Results: mean age was 48.6 +/- 11.3 years, 38 of 60 were women, median TIN was 1486 (IQR, 981-2847) mL. The patients classed as obese by the BMI had higher WC, TSF, TIE and SFT than did non-obese; however, WHR was similar in obese and non-obese men. In the all-patients group, the WHR of obese and non-obese patients were also similar. TKV was positively correlated with WC and WHR in women, but not in men. In the multivariate analysis, TIN was an independent factor affecting WC and WHR in women. Dietary fat intake was similar in groups with and without abdominal obesity according to WC and WHR. Conclusions: in women with ADPKD, WC and WHR may not be accurate anthropometric measurements for evaluation of abdominal obesity; however, they may be associated with TKV.