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Pericardial adipose tissue determined by dual source CT is a risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis

Martin Greif1, Alexander Becker, Franz von Ziegler

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, University Hospital of Munich, Germany.

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
|February 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Elevated pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) volumes are strongly linked to coronary atherosclerosis. Higher PAT volumes are a significant risk factor, independent of BMI and Framingham score, and associated with inflammation.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Medical Imaging
  • Biomedical Research

Background:

  • Pericardial fat, a visceral fat depot, is implicated in coronary atherosclerosis pathogenesis.
  • Investigating the relationship between pericardial fat and atherosclerosis is crucial for understanding cardiovascular disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between pericardial fat volumes and coronary atherosclerosis.
  • To explore correlations with risk factors, adiponectin, and inflammatory biomarkers.

Main Methods:

  • Dual-source CT angiography was used to assess pericardial fat volume and coronary atherosclerosis simultaneously.
  • Plaque characteristics and affected coronary segments were quantified.
  • Associations with BMI, adiponectin, HDL, TNF-alpha, and hsCRP were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Patients with atherosclerotic lesions had significantly larger pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) volumes (226 cm3) compared to those without (134 cm3).
  • PAT volumes exceeding 300 cm3 were the strongest independent risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis (OR 4.1), surpassing the Framingham score.
  • Elevated PAT volumes correlated with lower adiponectin and HDL levels, and higher TNF-alpha and hsCRP levels.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated pericardial adipose tissue volumes are significantly associated with coronary atherosclerosis.
  • Increased PAT volume is a potent independent risk factor for atherosclerosis, valuable for risk stratification and monitoring.
  • The findings highlight the role of PAT in inflammation and cardiovascular risk.
Abstract

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