Key result
Detectable brown adipose tissue activity links to fewer cardiovascular events.
Why the study?
The associations between brown adipose tissue metabolic parameters, serum lipid profiles, and cardiovascular disease events were not well characterized.
Does the presence of brown adipose tissue (BAT) correlate with improved lipid profiles and reduced cardiovascular events?
Cohort (n=13,530)
Does the presence of brown adipose tissue (BAT) correlate with improved lipid profiles and reduced cardiovascular events?
Detectable brown adipose tissue activity is independently associated with a more favorable lipid profile and a reduced risk of cardiovascular events, suggesting its potential utility in cardiovascular risk stratification.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the associations between brown adipose tissue (BAT) metabolic parameters, serum lipid profiles, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study involving 13 530 patients who underwent 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) PET/computed tomography between November 2019 and March 2024 was conducted to evaluate semiquantitative BAT indices, including the maximum standardized uptake value (B-SUV max ), total metabolic volume (TBMV), and total BAT glycolytic activity (TBG), as well as their associations to lipid profiles [total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios) and CVD outcomes. Propensity score matching was applied, resulting in a comparison group of 74 BAT-positive patients and 148 BAT-negative controls. RESULTS: BAT-positive individuals exhibited significantly higher HDL-C levels ( P = 0.005) and lower TC/HDL-C ( P = 0.006) and LDL-C/HDL-C ( P = 0.014) ratios compared with controls, while no significant differences were observed in triglyceride, TC, or LDL-C levels. TBG showed the strongest correlations with HDL-C ( r = 0.256, P < 0.001), TC/HDL-C ( r = -0.223, P < 0.001), and LDL-C/HDL-C ( r = -0.195, P = 0.004), outperforming B-SUV max and TBMV. Patients exhibiting BAT had a lower incidence of CVD events compared to those without detectable BAT ( P = 0.018). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of BAT is an independent predictor of CVD events. CONCLUSION: TBG is a moderate biomarker reflecting HDL-C levels and the ratios of TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C, while detectable BAT activity independently correlates with reduced CVD risk, highlighting its potential for cardiovascular risk stratification.
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Yang et al. (2025) conducted a cohort in Cardiovascular disease (n=13,530). Brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity vs. No detectable BAT was evaluated on Cardiovascular events (p=0.018). The presence of detectable brown adipose tissue activity was associated with a significantly lower incidence of cardiovascular events compared to patients without detectable BAT (P=0.018).
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