The effects of adrenal corticosteroids on regional adipocyte size in man.

In order to determine the effects of adrenal corticosteroids on regional adipose tissue cellularity groups of age-matched women subjected to long-term treatment with adrenal corticosteroids due to bronchial asthma or rheumatoids due to bronchial asthma or rheumatoid arthritis were compared with control of women. A small group of women suffering from Cushing's syndrome was also examined. Body composition, adipose cellularity in four major subcutaneous regions and metabolic variables were determined. The Cushing's syndrome patients weighed more than the other groups and seemed to have more fat cells while the patients with rheumatoid arthritis showed decreases in body cell mass, body fat and average fat cell size. These differences necessitated a body fat matching between patients and controls before analysis of regional depot fat differences. Body fat, average fat cell size and total fat cell number were similar in patients and controls. The Cushing's syndrome group was too small to allow this matching. All three groups exposed to increased levels of adrenal corticosteroids showed smaller fat cells in the gluteal region in comparison with controls, but no differences in fat cell size in the femoral, epigastrial or hypogastrial regions. This change also corresponded to a diminution of the thickness of subcutaneous plus skin layer in the gluteal region, measured with an ultrasonic technique. All the groups of patients had elevated fasting plasma insulin. The possibility was considered that the observed regional redistribution of fat is characteristic for adrenal corticosteroids.