Epicardial adipose tissue activity was independently correlated with increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the atrium (B 1.39) and atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Observational (n=70)
Single-blind
No
What factors are associated with increased atrial 18F-FDG uptake in patients with atrial fibrillation?
Increased epicardial adipose tissue activity is independently associated with enhanced atrial 18F-FDG uptake in patients with atrial fibrillation, suggesting a potential link between localized inflammation and AF.
Effect estimate: B 1.39 (95% CI 0.635-2.146)
p-value: p=<0.001
This retrospective study was designed to explore the factors relevant to increased atrial 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who had undergone routine whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging. Forty-eight consecutive AF patients (32 persistent, 16 paroxysmal) were identified from our routine FDG PET/CT database. Twenty-two control subjects were selected to establish the normal range of FDG uptake (maximum standardized uptake value, SUVmax) in target tissues. A target-to-background ratio (TBR) was calculated to determine abnormal uptake in the atrium and atrial appendage (AA). Univariate comparisons and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to explore the factors associated with the increased FDG accumulation in the atrium and AA. Seventeen AF patients, all with persistent AF, had increased atrial FDG uptake. Most of them (14, or 82.4%) had increased uptake in the right atrium. Eleven AF patients, 9 with persistent AF, had increased uptake in the AA, and bilateral AAs were equally involved. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified that female gender, persistent AF, and activity in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) were independent factors predicting the increased activity of the atrium; also, SUVmax of the left ventricle was found for the AA. In addition, multivariate linear regression analyses showed that EAT activity was the only independent variable linearly correlated with the activity of the atrium and AA. Atrial uptake was present in persistent AF and localized mainly in the right atrium, whereas bilateral AAs could be equally involved. Multiple factors contributed to the increased activity in atrium; in particular, the EAT activity was independently correlated with the activity of the atrium and AA.
Xie et al. (Tue,) conducted a observational in Atrial fibrillation (n=70). 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT vs. Control subjects without history of AF or cardiovascular disease was evaluated on Linear correlation between epicardial adipose tissue activity (SUVmax of RCA) and atrial activity (B 1.39, 95% CI 0.635-2.146, p=<0.001). Epicardial adipose tissue activity was independently correlated with increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the atrium (B 1.39) and atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation.