What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess whether volumes of heart fat depots (epicardial and paracardial adipose tissue) associate with coronary artery calcification in midlife women, and whether menopausal status and estradiol levels modify these relationships.

January 31, 2017Journal of the American Heart AssociationOpen Access

Postmenopausal Women With Greater Paracardial Fat Have More Coronary Artery Calcification Than Premenopausal Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Why the study?

Are paracardial and epicardial adipose tissue volumes associated with coronary artery calcification in midlife women, and is this modified by menopausal status?

Population

478 women at midlife, aged 50.9 years

Comparison

Paracardial adipose tissue and epicardial… vs Pre- or early perimenopausal women

Design

Cohort

Authors

SKSamar R. El KhoudaryUniversity of Pittsburgh KSKelly J. ShieldsMiltenyi Biotec (Germany)İJİmke JanssenGeneral / Preventive / Lipids

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

PAT may flag higher CAC risk postmenopause; leaves open its value for prediction or targeted intervention.

Key Points

To assess whether volumes of heart fat depots (epicardial and paracardial adipose tissue) associate with coronary artery calcification in midlife women, and whether menopausal status and estradiol levels modify these relationships.
Cross-sectional evaluation of 478 midlife women (mean age 50.9 years; 58% pre-/early perimenopausal, 10% late perimenopausal, 32% postmenopausal) from the SWAN Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study.
Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and paracardial adipose tissue (PAT) volumes alongside coronary artery calcification (CAC) were measured via electron beam computed tomography.
Outcomes included CAC presence (Agatston score ≥10) and CAC extent (log Agatston score >0), adjusted for adiposity measures, estradiol, and hormone therapy.
EAT was significantly associated with CAC measures irrespective of menopausal status or estradiol levels.
PAT associations with CAC were modified by menopausal status (interaction P ≤ 0.01); each 1-SD increase in log PAT was linked to a 102% higher risk of CAC presence (P=0.04) and an 80% increase in CAC extent (P=0.008) in postmenopausal compared to pre- or early perimenopausal women.
The link between PAT and CAC extent was significantly stronger in women with lower estradiol concentrations (interaction P=0.004), and adjusting for estradiol and hormone therapy attenuated the postmenopausal differences.

Structured PICO

Are paracardial and epicardial adipose tissue volumes associated with coronary artery calcification in midlife women, and is this modified by menopausal status?

Population

478 women at midlife, aged 50.9 years (58% pre- or early perimenopausal, 10% late perimenopausal, and 32% postmenopausal)

Intervention

Paracardial adipose tissue (PAT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volumes

Comparator

Pre- or early perimenopausal women (for menopausal status comparison)

Outcome

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) presence (Agatston score ≥10) and extent (log CAC Agatston score >0) measured by electron beam computed tomographysurrogate

Paracardial adipose tissue is a potential menopause-specific coronary artery disease risk marker associated with increased coronary artery calcification in postmenopausal women.

Cite This Study

Khoudary et al. (2017) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a1de3db9f4b7580a4ef76df https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.116.004545

Topics

Coronary artery disease Coronary CT angiography Women and heart disease

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Postmenopausal Women With Greater Paracardial Fat Have More Coronary Artery Calcification Than Premenopausal Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Topics

Postmenopausal Women With Greater Paracardial Fat Have More Coronary Artery Calcification Than Premenopausal Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Topics

Also Consider