OBJECTIVE Few studies have investigated the relationships between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and coronary stenosis and noncalcified plaques at the subclinical stage. The aim of this study was to investigate relationship between VAT and coronary lesions assessed by coronary computed tomography (CT) in an apparently healthy population.

DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional study.

SUBJECTS One thousand six hundred and fifty-eight subjects free of cardiovascular disease underwent coronary CT and abdominal fat CT as part of a routine medical examination.

MEASUREMENT VAT area was measured at the level of the umbilicus using CT. Coronary stenoses and plaques were evaluated using coronary CT.

RESULTS The mean age of the study population was 55.9±8.0 years, and 1198 (72.3%) subjects were men. There were 201 subjects (12.1%) with coronary stenosis <50% and 144 (8.7%) had significant stenosis. Noncalcified plaques were observed in 108 (6.5%) subjects. Coronary stenosis <50% and noncalcified plaques increased steadily as the VAT area increased (P<0.001). The 4th quartile of VAT area was significantly associated with prevalence of coronary stenosis <50% and the presence of noncalcified plaques when compared with the first through third VAT quartiles in the cardiovascular risk factor-adjusted model (odds ratio (OR): 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-2.30 and OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.02-2.68, respectively).

CONCLUSION Excess VAT area was associated with coronary stenosis <50% and noncalcified plaques, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, in an asymptomatic population without a history of coronary artery disease.