Evaluation of the relations between reproduction-related pituitary and ovarian hormones and abdominal fat area-related variables determined with computed tomography in overweight or obese women who have undergone bariatric surgery: a cross-sectional study

Background: An understanding of the associations between midregion fat depots and systemic hormone levels will be crucial for developing health-promotion messages aimed at overweight or obese women. However, related research in this area is rare. The present study was performed to identify and quantify fat related reproduction pituitary and ovarian hormones in overweight or obese women.Methods: A total of 250 eligible overweight or obese women scheduled to undergo laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) from a single center were retrospectively included in this study. Computed tomography (CT) images at the level of the umbilicus were selected, and abdominal fat areas were measured and calculated. The reproduction-related pituitary and ovarian hormones were also measured. The correlations among the parameters were examined using Spearman correlation test. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed after log and 0-transformation of the hormone levels and fat area-related variables.Results: Positive correlations were detected for prolactin (PRL) with total fat area (TFA) [0=0.045; P=0.029; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.004-0.085] and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) (0=0.066; P=0.023; 95% CI: 0.009-0.123), whereas estradiol showed a negative correlation with visceral fat area (VFA) (0=-0.056, P=0.005; 95% CI: -0.096 to -0.017) and relative VFA (rVFA) (0 =-0.068; P=0.001; 95% CI: -0.109 to -0.027) and a positive correlation with SFA (13=0.036; P=0.042; 95% CI: 0.001-0.071). Progesterone (PROG) was negatively correlated with both VFA (13=-0.037; P=0.002; 95% CI: -0.061 to -0.013) and rVFA (13=-0.039; P=0.002; 95% CI: -0.063 to -0.014). The final results revealed that TFA was increased by 3.1% and SFA was increased by 4.7% with a doubling of PRL concentration; VFA was reduced by 2.5% and rVFA was reduced by 2.6% with a doubling of PROG concentration; and VFA was reduced by 3.8%, rVFA was reduced by 4.6%, and SFA was increased by 2.5% with a doubling of estradiol concentration.Conclusions: There exist certain associations between some reproduction-related pituitary and ovarian hormones and fat areas. Our findings provide new insights into the associations between midregion fat depots and systemic hormone levels in overweight or obese women.