Key result
Greater pericardial adipose tissue was independently associated with increased left ventricular mass and left atrial volume, as well as decreased systolic and early diastolic tissue Doppler imaging velocities.
Why the study?
The independent role of pericardial adipose tissue as an ectopic fat associated with CVD remains controversial, prompting evaluation of its association with LV structure and function independent of general obesity.
Does increased pericardial adipose tissue associate with impaired left ventricular structure and function independent of general obesity in adults without known cardiovascular disease?
Cross-Sectional (n=2,471)
No
Does increased pericardial adipose tissue associate with impaired left ventricular structure and function independent of general obesity in adults without known cardiovascular disease?
Pericardial adipose tissue is associated with subclinical left ventricular structural and functional deterioration independently of general obesity measures, suggesting a local pathogenic effect of ectopic fat.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May signal local pericardial fat effects on LV structure/function; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
BACKGROUND: The independent role of pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) as an ectopic fat associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains controversial. This study aimed to determine whether PAT is associated with left ventricular (LV) structure and function independent of other markers of general obesity. METHODS: We studied 2471 participants (50.9 % women) without known CVD from the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study, who underwent 2D-echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and computed tomography measurement for PAT. RESULTS: Study participants with more PAT were more likely to be men and had higher cardiometabolic indices, including blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels (all P < 0.001). Greater pericardial fat levels across quartiles of PAT were associated with increased LV mass index and left atrial volume index (all P < 0.001) and decreased systolic (P = 0.015) and early diastolic (P < 0.001) TDI velocities, except for LV ejection fraction. These associations remained after a multivariable-adjusted model for traditional CV risk factors and persisted even after additional adjustment for general adiposity measures, such as waist circumference and body mass index. PAT was also the only obesity index independently associated with systolic TDI velocity (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PAT was associated with subclinical LV structural and functional deterioration, and these associations were independent of and stronger than with general and abdominal obesity measures.
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Kim et al. (2021) conducted a cross-sectional in Without known cardiovascular disease (n=2,471). Pericardial adipose tissue vs. Lower levels of pericardial adipose tissue was evaluated on Left ventricular mass and function (tissue Doppler imaging velocities) (p=<0.001). Greater pericardial adipose tissue was independently associated with increased left ventricular mass and left atrial volume, as well as decreased systolic and early diastolic tissue Doppler imaging velocities.
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