Abstract
AIM: To investigate the associations of intra-pancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subfractions and hepatic lipase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: IPFD was quantified using a single 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner. LDL subfractions were assessed with a commercially available system employing non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The LDL profile included six subfractions, grouped into two subclasses: large LDL (LDL-1 and LDL-2) and small LDL (LDL-3 to LDL-6). Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to examine associations, with adjustments made for age, sex, ethnicity, obesity, insulin resistance and triglyceride levels. RESULTS: A total of 174 individuals were included in the analysis. IPFD was not significantly associated with any LDL subfraction or subclass in any of the statistical models. Similarly, hepatic lipase showed no significant association with IPFD. However, hepatic lipase was significantly and inversely associated with the LDL-1 and LDL-2 subfractions, as well as the LDL-large subclass, across all three statistical models. In the most adjusted model, each unit increase in hepatic lipase was associated with a 0.24-unit decrease in LDL-1 (p = 0.002), a 0.22-unit decrease in LDL-2 (p = 0.003) and a 0.27-unit decrease in the LDL-large subclass (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The lack of a significant association between IPFD and LDL subfractions suggests that the link between IPFD and cardiovascular disease is likely mediated through mechanisms other than alterations in LDL particle distribution.