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Published on: April 25, 2014

Adipose tissue in myocardial infarction

Leon Su1, John E Siegel, Michael C Fishbein

  • 1Division of Anatomic Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Cardiovascular Pathology : the Official Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology
|March 23, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Adipose tissue is common in healed myocardial infarctions (HMIs), increasing with patient age and in those receiving coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). This suggests potential cardiac stem cell differentiation.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Pathology
  • Histology
  • Regenerative Medicine

Background:

  • The histological changes in myocardial infarction (MI) are well-documented, but the presence of adipose tissue in healed MI (HMI) has been underreported.
  • Previous studies have not extensively detailed the occurrence and characteristics of adipose tissue within HMI.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and extent of adipose tissue within HMI in explanted hearts.
  • To identify factors associated with the presence of adipose tissue in HMI.

Main Methods:

  • Histological examination of 91 explanted hearts from patients with ischemic heart disease.
  • Quantification of adipose tissue within identified HMIs.
  • Analysis of patient demographics, HMI characteristics, and treatment history (including coronary artery bypass surgery - CABG).

Main Results:

  • Adipose tissue was found in 84% of the 168 identified HMIs.
  • The amount of adipose tissue in HMIs increased with patient age, was higher in males, and was associated with prior CABG surgery.
  • No significant relationship was observed between adipose tissue presence and HMI location or age.

Conclusions:

  • Adipose tissue is a frequent histological finding in HMIs.
  • The presence of adipose tissue may be influenced by contemporary medical therapies for ischemic heart disease.
  • Findings suggest the potential existence of cardiac stem cells capable of differentiating into adipose tissue, influenced by microenvironmental or therapeutic factors.
Abstract

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