Recurrence Factors and Characteristic Trends of Papillary Thyroid Cancer over Three Decades.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of thyroid cancer is rising worldwide. Although thyroid cancer has a favorable prognosis, up to 20% of patients experienced recurrent disease during the follow-up period. The present study aimed to examine the trend of incidence and factors associated with recurrence and outcomes of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in Thai patients over the last 30 years. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical data of all patients with PTC who were treated between 1987 and 2019 at Theptarin Hospital. Clinical characteristics, epidemic trend, factors associated with the persistence/recurrence of the disease, overall disease-specific survival rate, and overall disease-free survival rate were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 235 patients with PTC who were registered between 1987 and 2019 were reviewed. The mean age was 42.5 ± 14.3 years, with a mean follow-up of 9.5 years. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) was consistently increased and accounted for 21.4% (50/235) of total cases. The American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification was high in 24% of all PTMCs in the last decade, and 16.0% of these patients experienced local recurrence during the follow-up period. Coexistence with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) was found in one-fifth of the patients with PTC and was correlated with a low recurrence rate (HR: 0.16, P=0.013). Only age ≥55 years associated with the persistence/recurrence of the disease. The overall disease-free survival and disease-specific survival rates were 77.4% and 98.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of PTC is generally considered favorable. However, approximately one-fourth of patients with PTMC demonstrated more aggressive clinical behavior, particularly in the last decade of the study. Coexistence of HT contributed to a better prognosis.

Impacts of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging system on outcomes of differentiated thyroid cancer in Thai patients.

BACKGROUND: In 2018, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition (AJCC8) was introduced to replace the previous version (AJCC7) due to superiority of AJCC8 over AJCC7 for better prediction of survival from thyroid cancer. AIM: To compare AJCC staging systems with the American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk classification for the prediction of 5-year disease-free survival (DFS), and 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) in Thai patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients with histopathologic diagnosis of DTC who were treated at Theptarin Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand from 1987 to 2019. RESULTS: The study cohort included 262 differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients (papillary thyroid cancer 89.7% with a median time of follow-up 7.8 years). The number (%) of patients within each stage group by AJCC7 and AJCC8 respectively are as follows: Stage I: 173 (66.0%) vs. 232 (88.5%), Stage II: 33 (12.6%) vs. 24 (9.2%), Stage III: 36 (13.7%) vs. 2 (0.8%), Stage IV: 20 (7.7%) vs. 4 (1.5%). The ATA high risk group was found in 24.3% of AJCC7 Stage I compared with 23.7% of AJCC8 Stage I. The 5-year DFS rates in patients classified as stages I, II, III, and IV by AJCC8 were 87.9%, 45.8%, 0% and 25%, respectively. The 5-year DSS rates in patients classified as stages I, II, III and IV by AJCC8 were 98.7%, 100%, 100% and 0%, respectively. AJCC8 was more predictive of DFS rate than AJCC7. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is in accord with previous studies that AJCC8 downstage a significant percentage of patients with DTC and correlated with better prognostic validity. However, even a person at low risk for mortality can be at high risk for recurrence.

Practice patterns and outcomes in the management of Thai patients with Graves' disease.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of hyperthyroid Graves' disease (GD) varies considerably among geographic areas. In this study, we aimed to evaluate practice patterns and treatment outcomes in Thai patients with hyperthyroid GD. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study over 35 years (1985-2019) in patients with hyperthyroid GD was conducted. The trends of treatment options were compared periodically during the study period and the overall remission rate from each option was determined. RESULTS: A total of 2736 hyperthyroid GD patients were treated and followed-up for at least 3 months over the study period (female 82.0%, mean age at diagnosis 36.3 ± 12.0 years, median duration of follow-up 74.5 months). Anti-thyroid drug (ATD) was the most commonly used treatment (78.0%), followed by RAI (21.0%), and surgery (1.0%). There was a significant downward trend for surgery, from 12.3% in the 1980s to only 0.2% in last phase of the study period. The preference for RAI therapy has also decreased in the last 5 years. Among ATD-treated patients, the remission rate was achieved only in 30.7 and 16.0% of all ATD-treated patients were eventually treated with RAI. Spontaneous hypothyroidism developed in 2.7% of the ATD-treated patients during a follow-up period. Almost all RAI-treated patients (97.1%) developed hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Our present study highlighted the changing landscape of primary treatments for hyperthyroid GD toward ATD and the sharp downward trend in the surgical option. Even though ATD was associated with a low remission rate, it was preferred by many patients and physicians. The use of RAI as the primary treatment decreased in the last decade. However, RAI was a very effective treatment for Graves' hyperthyroidism but will inevitably induce hypothyroidism and a requirement for life-long replacement therapy.

Serum T3 Level and Duration of Minimum Maintenance Dose Therapy Predict Relapse n Methimazole-Treated Graves Disease.

BACKGROUND: Methimazole (MMI) has been advocated as a preferred option for most Graves disease (GD) patients. However, long-term remission after a course of MMI treatment is achieved in only 20% to 40% of patients, depending on the duration of follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical factors for predicting relapse of GD in Thai patients after MMI treatment. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of newly diagnosed patients with GD who achieved remission of hyperthyroid GD after at least 12 months of MMI treatment. Long-term outcomes were assessed and predictive factors of early and late relapse were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 443 patients with newly diagnosed GD who were treated with MMI for at least 12 months from 1985 to 2019, and were able to discontinue medication, were studied. The mean age at diagnosis was 37.0 ±â€…11.4 years and 81.7% were female. Of the 320 patients (72.2%) who achieved initial remission after MMI treatment for 23 months, 106 patients (33.1%) experienced late relapse during the mean follow-up duration of 9.7 years after MMI withdrawal. The remission rates decreased from 36.4% at the first year after stopping MMI to only 20.7% at 10 years. High initial serum triiodothyronine (T3) level and duration of minimum maintenance dose therapy (MMDT) of <6 months were associated with late disease relapse after remission. CONCLUSION: The long-term remission rate of Graves hyperthyroidism was achieved in one-fifth of MMI-treated Thai patients. Predictive markers for late relapse included high initial serum T3 level and a duration of MMDT of <6 months.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor-Associated Bullous Pemphigoid (DPP4i-Associated BP) in Thai Patients.

The use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) appears to be associated with a small but significantly elevated risk of bullous pemphigoid (BP). Although the pathogenic mechanism of DPP4i-associated BP remains unclear, this adverse event is reported with multiple gliptins, suggesting a class effect. However, previous studies from various countries showed that vildagliptin had been implicated in most cases. The aim of this study was to illustrate a case series of DPP4i-associated BP in Thai patients. We conducted a retrospective study from consecutive cases of BP in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from January 2008, the year in which the first DPP4i was introduced in Thailand, until December 2019. During the study period, 10 BP patients with T2DM were identified. A total of 5 DPP4i-associated BP (3 on vildagliptin, 1 on linagliptin, and 1 on sitagliptin) were found. All patients were male with a mean age at BP development of 80.4 years (73-86 years). All patients had a long-standing duration of diabetes (median duration 34 years), and mean A1C was 7.5 ± 1.4%. The median time to BP development after the introduction of DPP4i was 64 months (range 20-128 months). The severity of BP was classified as mild in 2 cases. In all cases, the association between the drug intake and BP onset was classified as "possible" according to the Naranjo causality scale. All of the patients continued taking DPP4i after BP diagnosis, and one patient died of lung cancer 18 months after BP diagnosis. Only 2 patients could achieve complete remission at least 2 months after stopping DPP4i. Our case series demonstrated a potential link between DPP4i and the development of BP, which mainly occurred in very elderly male patients. The latency period from an introduction of DPP-4i could be several years, and the clinical course after DPP4i discontinuation varied. Clinicians prescribing DPP4i should be aware of this association and consider stopping this medication before a refractory disease course ensues.

Impact of first-line treatment choice on long-term outcomes of hyperthyroid Graves' disease patients with thyrotoxic periodic paralysis.

BACKGROUND: Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a unique manifestation of Graves' disease. While it is uncommon in Asian, it is extremely rare in Caucasian patients (0.1-0.2%). Previous studies suggested that TPP indicate more severity of Graves' disease and definitive treatments should be used to prevent relapses. AIM: To describe clinical features and impact of first-line treatment on long-term outcomes of TPP patients. METHOD: A retrospective cohort study over 35 years (1985-2019) of TPP from Graves' disease patients was conducted. All cases were analyzed and their clinical courses were compared between those who received anti-thyroid drugs (ATD) versus radioactive iodine (RAI) as a primary treatment. None of them underwent surgery. RESULTS: A total of 2964 hyperthyroid Graves' disease patients were treated and followed-up at least 3 months over the study period. TPP was identified in 63 cases (2.1%) of all patients. There were 60 males and only 3 females with age at presentation of 35.0 ± 8.2 years. TPP was the first presentation of hyperthyroid Graves' disease in 82.5% of them. During the acute attack of TPP, all patients presented with bilateral lower limb flaccid weaknesses with median serum potassium of 2.1 mmol/L. No fatal TPP cases were found. RAI was selected as primary treatment in 27 patients (42.9%). Nearly all RAI-treated patients rendered hypothyroidism with the median RAI dose at 15 mCi. No patients who were in remission after RAI treatment developed recurrent attack of TPP. In the remaining 36 ATD-treated patients with mean follow-up time at 9.1 years, relapse was found in 10 patients (27.8%) after the drug discontinuation and 6 patients suffered recurrent TPP. Only 8 ATD-treated TPP patients (22.2%) went into remission. CONCLUSIONS: TPP is a rare complication of hyperthyroid Graves' disease. Definitive treatment with RAI or thyroidectomy should be employed to prevent relapse and further attacks of TPP.

Epidermoid cyst abscess of the neck masquerading as a thyroid abscess.

SUMMARY: In this case report, we describe a 37-year-old male who presented with fever and tender neck mass. Neck ultrasonography revealed a mixed echogenic multiloculated solid-cystic lesion containing turbid fluid and occupying the right thyroid region. Thyroid function tests showed subclinical hyperthyroidism. The patient was initially diagnosed with thyroid abscess and he was subsequently treated with percutaneous aspiration and i.v. antibiotics; however, his clinical symptoms did not improve. Surgical treatment was then performed and a pathological examination revealed a ruptured epidermoid cyst with abscess formation. No thyroid tissue was identified in the specimen. The patient was discharged uneventfully. However, at the 3-month and 1-year follow-ups, the patient was discovered to have developed subclinical hypothyroidism. Neck ultrasonography revealed a normal thyroid gland. This report demonstrates a rare case of epidermoid cyst abscess in the cervical region, of which initial imaging and abnormal thyroid function tests led to the erroneous diagnosis of thyroid abscess. LEARNING POINTS: Epidermoid cyst abscess at the cervical region can mimic thyroid abscess. Neck ultrasonography cannot distinguish thyroid abscess from epidermoid cyst abscess. Thyroid function may be altered due to the adjacent soft tissue inflammation.

Changing the patterns of hospitalized diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) over a 5-year period in a multi-disciplinary setting in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: After years of decline, the rate of amputations was reported to increase by 50% in the U.S. population between 2009 and 2015. Few studies have examined the most recent trends in hospitalized diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) in Asian patients. This study aimed to examine recent trends and outcomes in hospitalized DFU at a tertiary diabetes center in Bangkok. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study from consecutive hospitalized DFU admissions from 2014 to 2018 at Theptarin Hospital, a multi-disciplinary diabetes center, led by diabetologists. RESULTS: During the study period, 290 patients (male 57.4%, age 65.5 ± 13.3 years, T2DM 99.4%, DM duration 18.8 ± 11.5 years, A1C 8.6 ± 2.3%) with 350 admissions were included. DFU were classified into neuropathic wounds (38.0%), ischemic wounds (2.6%), and mixed-type wounds (59.4%). The median length of stay was 8 days. Severe DFU (Wagner grade 3-5) composed 68.3% of all DFU and one-third of patients had prior history of amputations. Complete healing was achieved in 73.5% of the patients. Major amputation was performed in 16 (4.6%) and minor amputation was performed in 78 (22.3%) of all DFU. The mortality rate at 1 year after discharge was 12.0%. Advanced diseases with higher co-morbidities were associated with worse outcomes. When compared with our previous published data from 2009 to 2013, the annual rate of ischemic wounds from peripheral arterial diseases (PAD) and severity of DFU were increased in this study period. The major amputation rate slightly decreased from 6.0 to 4.6% but the minor amputation rate increased from 18.7 to 22.3%. CONCLUSION: The changing trend of DFU provides an excellent outlook into the inadequacies of our current diabetes care systems and global trend of aging population. After considerable successes in reducing major amputations over the past decade, the current analysis revealed a discouraging change in the healing rate of DFU and a stable pattern of major amputation. The prevalence of PAD among Thai patients with DFU increased significantly and affected the results of DFU treatments. Redefined organization of care with multidisciplinary team approach and coordination with referral centers are urgently required to improve outcomes of DFU.

Incidence and malignancy rates classified by The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) - An 8-year tertiary center experience in Thailand.

Incidence and Malignancy Rates Classified by The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) - An 8-year Tertiary Center experience in Thailand. BACKGROUND: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid is considered the best diagnostic tool for preoperative evaluation of thyroid nodules. The introduction of The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) in 2010 provided the opportunity to establish worldwide standard for reporting and terminology guidelines for diagnostic categories. It is recommended that every institution evaluates the risk of malignancy (ROM) in each category for quality improvement process. AIM: To assess the effectiveness of TBSRTC method at our institution using cyto-histological correlation. METHOD: A retrospective 8-year (2010-2017) audit of thyroid FNA done by thyroid specialists at Theptarin hospital. The FNA results were classified according to TBSRTC. Histopathology reports for operated cases were used to correlate cytology and final histopathology. RESULTS: A total of 2735 thyroid FNA from 2115 patients (mean age 45.7 ±â€¯13.1 years, female 89.8%) were examined. The rates of non-diagnostic, benign, atypia of undetermined significance (AUS), follicular neoplasm, suspected for malignancy, and malignant cases were 21.1%, 66.6%, 4.7%, 2.4%, 1.8%, and 3.3% respectively. There were 188 patients (9%) who underwent surgical resection with available histopathology. Malignancy rates in operated thyroid nodules were 20.0%, 4.2%, 9.4%, 23.5%, 57.1%, and 90.3% for categories 1 to 6, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value were 96.6%, 88.5%, 95.8%, and 90.3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules using TBSRTC in our hospital was comparable with other studies. The uniform diagnostic criteria of the Bethesda System help avoid misinterpretation while sharing local experience with international benchmarks.

Salient features and outcomes of Charcot foot - An often-overlooked diabetic complication: A 17-year-experience at a diabetic center in Bangkok.

BACKGROUND: Charcot foot is a rare but a serious diabetic condition. Recognition of this often overlooked condition to provide timely and proper management is important for a better prognosis. Limited data on Charcot foot was available in Asians. AIMS: The aim of this study is to describe salient features and outcomes of Charcot foot in Thai patients. METHOD: We presented our experience of 40 cases of Charcot foot patients who were treated from 2000 to 2016 at Theptarin Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. RESULTS: A total of 40 Charcot foot patients were identified (13 acute, 27 chronic; mean age 58.7 ±â€¯10.2 years; duration of diabetes 18.0 ±â€¯8.8 years; T2DM 95%). The average serum HbA1c level was 9.2 ±â€¯1.9%. While acute Charcot foot was frequently misdiagnosed as cellulitis in almost one-third of patients, osteomyelitis was a leading cause of misdiagnosis in 15% of chronic Charcot foot patients. Ulcer-free rate at 6 and 12 months were observed in 60% and 58% of patients, respectively. The mortality rate was 13% during a median follow-up period of 57 months. Only 61% of the patients resumed walking normally while almost one-fourth of them were wheelchair-bound. CONCLUSIONS: Charcot foot in Thai patients mainly developed in long-standing poorly controlled type 2 diabetes with neuropathy, and presented late in the course of the disease. It was often misdiagnosed resulting in improper management and poor outcome which included amputation.

A study of serum IgG4 levels in the clinical metamorphosis of autoimmune thyroid disease.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of serum IgG4 had been suggested to distinguish the unique subtypes of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) which demonstrated patterns of fluctuating between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. However, the clinical utility of serum IgG4 measurement is inconclusive due to few studies having addressed these unusual patients compared with the specificity of serum IgG4 in healthy patients. AIM: To investigate whether elevated serum IgG4 levels could be used as a marker to identify fluctuating AITD patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 AITD patients who evolved from hyperthyroid Graves' disease to spontaneous hypothyroidism or vice versa were compared with 40 healthy subjects, 40 patients with hyperthyroid Graves' disease (GD) and 40 patients with subclinical or overt hypothyroid Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). Serum levels of total IgG and IgG4 were measured and the proportion of elevated serum IgG4 levels (defined by serum IgG4 levels ≥ 135 mg/dL) was compared with control patients. RESULTS: A series of 20 Thai patients with clinical evolution of AITD was analyzed with a median follow-up at 92 months (range 3-380 months). Elevated serum IgG4 levels were not found in fluctuating AITD patients but were found in 5% of the control GD patients, 2.5% of the control HT, and 2.5% of healthy subjects which were not statistically significant between each group. CONCLUSION: Our results contrasted with those of previous studies from Japan which reported elevated serum IgG4 as a marker to identify subset of AITD patients. At present, the clinical utility of serum IgG4 measurements in AITD is inconclusive and requires further investigation.

Outcomes of hospitalized diabetic foot patients in a multi-disciplinary team setting: Thailand's experience.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to evaluate the outcomes of treatment among hospitalized patients with diabetic foot ulcers, the risk factors for non-healing ulcers, and the rate of major amputation among Thai patients. METHODS: A retrospective study of hospitalized diabetic foot patients treated at Theptarin Hospital during the period of 2009-2013. The complete healing rate was assessed at 12 months after admission. RESULTS: During the study period, 232 patients (123 males and 109 females) with 262 admissions were included (mean age 65.6 ± 11.9 years, mean duration of diabetes 17.2 ± 9.9 years) with a mean follow-up of 17.5 ± 16.7 months. Major amputations were performed in 4.2% of the patients and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) was a predictive factor (OR 5.25; 95% CI [1.43-19.29]; p-value 0.006). Complete healing (including minor amputations) was achieved in 82.1% of the admissions. Only DFU of the heel was a statistically significant (OR 3.34; 95% CI [1.11-10.24]; p-value 0.041) predictor of non-healing ulcers. Three patients (1.1%) died during hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Management of diabetes-related foot ulcers with a multidisciplinary approach resulted in a limb salvage rate that was greater than 90% and a complete healing rate that was greater than 80%. Successful management of diabetic foot ulcers might be possible in Thailand utilizing this approach.

Clinical profile of adults with long-standing Type 1 Diabetes:A 30-year-experience from Theptarin Hospital, Thailand / Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies

Objective@#To present our 30-year experience with type 1 diabetes in adults treated at Theptarin hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. @*Methodology@#A retrospective study was conducted on medical records of patients with type 1 diabetes in Theptarin hospital between 1983 and 2013. Clinical characteristics, glycemic control, and complications were retrieved and compared between patients who developed complications and those who have remained free of complications. @*Results@#There were 129 T1DM patients who attended our hospital during the three decades. Two patients died from sepsis and leukemia. Only 70 patients are still active on follow-up (median time of follow-up 11.1 years, range 0.3-29.2 years). In the active follow-up cohort, the mean age of onset was 25.3(12.4) years and duration of diabetes was 14.4(10.0) years. The mean HbA1c and LDL were 7.9(1.4%) and 99(30) mg/dl respectively. Optimal glycemic control (HbA1c ≤ 7%), LDL control (LDL≤ 100 mg/dl), and target blood pressure (BP ≤ 130/80 mmHg) were achieved in 31%, 54%, and 97% of patients respectively. The optimal combined target values for glucose, LDL, and blood pressure were achieved in only 17% of patients. The cumulative incidence of retinopathy, nephropathy, and cardiovascular disease were 17%, 19%, and 0.4%, respectively. Only longer duration of diabetes was associated with increased risk of development of microvascular complications. @*Conclusions@#Despite advancement in the treatment of diabetes, optimal glycemic control has not been achieved in most adult patients with T1DM. Microvascular complications have been observed in about one fifth of patients. Intensive therapy should be implemented as early as possible in order to ameliorate long-term complications of diabetes

Overweight Latino children and adolescents have marked endothelial dysfunction and subclinical vascular inflammation in association with excess body fat and insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVE: We measured plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, and pro-coagulation in obese Hispanic/Latino children and adolescents with normal glucose tolerance and determined their relationship to body composition and indexes of glucose and lipid metabolism. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 38 lean or obese Hispanic children and adolescents (10-18 years of age) were selected. The overweight group (n = 21) had a BMI >85th percentile for their age and sex, and the lean group (n = 17) had a BMI between the 25th and 50th percentiles. Studies included an oral glucose tolerance test, measurements of plasma glucose and lipids, several markers of endothelial function and inflammation, and determination of body composition by dual X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The obese group had higher systolic blood pressure and plasma triglycerides and was more insulin resistant than the lean group. The obese group also had higher plasma soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (259.5 +/- 60.0 vs. 223.2 +/- 47.5 ng/ml, P = 0.047), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (2.57 +/- 1.1 vs. 1.74 +/- 0.6 pg/ml, P = 0.008), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (2.0 vs. 0.13 mg/l, P < 0.0001), plasminogen-activated inhibitor-1 (47.0 +/- 35.7 vs. 12.0 +/- 5.2 ng/ml, P < 0.0001), tissue plasminogen activator (6.1 +/- 1.9 vs. 4.1 +/- 0.8 ng/ml, P = 0.001), and white blood cell count (6.9 vs. 5.3 x 10(3), P = 0.031) and lower levels of adiponectin (8.7 +/- 3.3 vs. 12.6 +/- 5.2 microg/ml, P = 0.022). No significant differences were observed for soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule or interleukin-6. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight Hispanic children and adolescents with normal glucose tolerance exhibit increased plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical inflammation in association with obesity and insulin resistance. These abnormalities may predispose them to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Metabolic obesity: the paradox between visceral and subcutaneous fat.

In contrast to the accumulation of fat in the gluteo-femoral region, the accumulation of fat around abdominal viscera and inside intraabdominal solid organs is strongly associated with obesity-related complications like Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. The association between visceral adiposity and accelerated atherosclerosis was shown to be independent of age, overall obesity or the amount of subcutaneous fat. Recent evidence revealed several biological and genetic differences between intraabdominal visceral-fat and peripheral subcutaneous-fat. Such differences are also reflected in their contrasting roles in the pathogenesis of obesity-related cardiometabolic problems, in either lean or obese individuals. The functional differences between visceral and the subcutaneous adipocytes may be related to their anatomical location. Visceral adipose tissue and its adipose-tissue resident macrophages produce more proinflamatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and less adiponectin. These cytokines changes induce insulin resistance and play a major role in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction and subsequent atherosclerosis. The rate of visceral fat accumulation is also different according to the individual's gender and ethnic background; being more prominent in white men, African American women and Asian Indian and Japanese men and women. Such differences may explain the variation in the cardiometabolic risk at different waist measurements between different populations. However, it is unclear how much visceral fat reduction is needed to induce favorable metabolic changes. On the other hand, peripheral fat mass is negatively correlated with atherogenic metabolic risk factors and its selective reduction by liposuction does improve cardiovascular risk profile. The increasing knowledge about body fat distribution and its modifiers may lead to the development of more effective treatment strategies for people with/or at high risk for Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. These accumulating observations also urge our need for a new definition of obesity based on the anatomical location of fat rather than on its volume, especially when cardiometabolic risk is considered. The term "Metabolic Obesity", in reference to visceral fat accumulation in either lean or obese individuals may identify those at risk for cardiovascular disease better than the currently used definitions of obesity.