Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): The A Body Shape index (ABSI) is a validated measure of visceral adiposity that is calculated based on waist circumference, height and BMI. Its power to predict cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear and is addressed in the present study.
We prospectively recorded cardiovascular events in a cohort of 938 patients with CAD over a mean follow-up time of 8.1±4.2 years.
At baseline, the ABSI was higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM; n=308) than in those who did not have diabetes (8.4±0.6 vs. 8.3±0.5; p=0.032). Prospectively, the ABSI significantly predicted the incidence of cardiovascular events (n=389) after adjustment for age, gender, smoking, hypertension, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and T2DM (standardized adjusted HRs 1.12 [1.03-1.22]; p=0.009, respectively). T2DM in turn also significantly predicted cardiovascular events in this model with a HR of 1.23 [1.02-1.49]; p=0.034 after adjustment for ABSI.
We conclude that ABSI and T2DM are mutually independent risk factors for cardiovascular events in patients with established CAD.