Greater intrapancreatic fat deposition (lower P-S difference) was independently associated with elevated triglyceride glucose index (β = -0.0028; 95% CI -0.0046 to -0.0010; p=0.002).
Observational (n=558)
No
Is intrapancreatic fat deposition associated with metabolic biomarkers and clinical diagnoses in Chinese adults?
Intrapancreatic fat deposition is associated with an early metabolic signature, including elevated triglycerides and free fatty acids, independent of BMI and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
Effect estimate: β = -0.0028 (95% CI -0.0046 to -0.0010)
p-value: p=0.002
AIMS: To investigate the associations between intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD), quantified by the pancreas-spleen attenuation difference (P-S Difference) on non-enhanced computed tomography (CT), and metabolic biomarkers in Chinese adults, and to distinguish direct and indirect effects of IPFD via body mass index (BMI) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-centre, retrospective study analysed 558 Chinese adults (mean age 63.8 ± 13.6 years; 44.4% male). IPFD was quantified as the P-S Difference; lower values indicated greater IPFD. Missing data were handled by multiple imputation. Sequentially adjusted multivariable regression, restricted cubic splines, directed acyclic graph-informed mediation, and stratified analyses were performed. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted model, lower P-S Difference was independently associated with higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG; β = -0.0068, 95% CI -0.0136 to 0.0000; p = 0.049), triglycerides (TG; β = -0.0023, -0.0043 to -0.0002; p = 0.028), free fatty acids (FFA; β = -0.0012, -0.0021 to -0.0003; p = 0.012), and triglyceride glucose (TyG) index (β = -0.0028, -0.0046 to -0.0010; p = 0.002), and with lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; β = 0.0013, 0.0002 to 0.0024; p = 0.025). Associations with clinical diagnoses (hypertension, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease) were non-significant after adjustment. BMI mediated ≤ 7.1% of associations, whereas MASLD partially mediated TG (22.5%, p = 0.017) and TyG (15.7%, p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: IPFD was associated with an early metabolic signature, notably elevated TG, FFA, and TyG, independent of BMI and MASLD. Prospective validation is required.
Zong et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Metabolic dysfunction (n=558). Intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) was evaluated on Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index (β = -0.0028, 95% CI -0.0046 to -0.0010, p=0.002). Greater intrapancreatic fat deposition (lower P-S difference) was independently associated with elevated triglyceride glucose index (β = -0.0028; 95% CI -0.0046 to -0.0010; p=0.002).