Inverse association of plasma hydrogen sulfide levels with visceral fat area among Chinese young men: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between plasma Hydrogen Sulfide (HS) levels and visceral fat area (VFA) among Chinese young men.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 156 Chinese male subjects, aged 18-45 years, who visited the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao (Hebei, China) in 2014 for annual health check-up. Participants were categorized into: low (VFA < 75.57 cm), medium (75.57 cm ≤ VFA<100.37 cm), and high (VFA ≥ 100.37 cm) (n = 52/group). We estimated VFA and plasma HS levels by using bioelectrical impedance analysis and a fluorescence probe-based approach, respectively. The associations of HS with VFA and obesity anthropometric measures were assessed.

RESULTS

In the high VFA group, the body mass index (BMI, 30.4 ± 2.45 kg/m), total body fat (TBF, 27.9 ± 3.23 kg), plasma HS (3.5 µmol/L), free fatty acid (FFA, 0.6 ± 0.24 mmol/L), triglyceride (TG, 2.0 mmol/L), and total cholesterol (TC, 5.5 ± 1.02 mmol/L) levels were significantly higher than that of those of the low and medium VFA groups, respectively ( < 0.05). Plasma HS levels were found to be inversely correlated with VFA, TBF, waist circumference, BMI, FFA, LnFINS, LnHOMA-IR, LnTG, TC, and LDL-C ( < 0.05). Multiple backward stepwise regression analysis revealed an inverse correlation of plasma HS levels with FFA (β = -0.214, = 0.005) and VFA (β = -0.429, < 0.001), independent of adiposity measures and other confounding factors.

CONCLUSION

VFA was independently and inversely associated with plasma HS levels among Chinese young men. Therefore, determining plasma HS levels could aid in the assessment of abnormal VAT distribution.