Association between active brown adipose tissue and coronary artery calcification in healthy men

We compared various clinical factors between persons with active brown adipose tissue (ABAT) and matched controls, and investigated the relationship between the presence of ABAT and coronary artery calcification (CAC) with respect to arterial inflammation.

We retrospectively reviewed fluorine-18-labeled fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (F-18 FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) data from men who underwent general health check-ups. Sixty-seven men with ABAT were identified and were matched with controls at a 1:1 ratio. Peripheral blood samples were obtained and the levels of various laboratory parameters were measured just before FDG PET/CT studies. Arterial inflammation was measured in the ascending aorta, venous mean standardized uptake value (SUV) was collected from the superior vena cava as FDG uptake on PET, and background-corrected SUV was calculated as the target-to-background ratio (TBR) and blood-subtracted SUV_max (bsSUV_max). CAC was assessed using CT images acquired from a PET/CT scanner.

The prevalence of fatty liver (p = 0.048) and CAC (p = 0.026) was lower in men with ABAT compared to matched controls. Arterial SUV_max (1.72 ± 0.23 vs. 1.88 ± 0.23, p < 0.001), TBR (1.18 ± 0.14 vs. 1.29 ± 0.13, p < 0.001), and bsSUV_max (0.25 ± 0.18 vs. 0.41 ± 0.16, p < 0.001) were significantly lower in men with ABAT. ABAT (odds ratio [OR] = 0.19, p = 0.024) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR = 0.95, p = 0.037) were independent factors associated with CAC according to multiple logistic regression analysis.

ABAT is associated with down-regulated arterial inflammation and may exert a protective effect against the development of atherosclerosis. (p = 0,026) war geringer bei Männern mit ABAT im Vergleich zu gematchten Kontrollen. Arterieller SUV_max (1,72 ± 0,23 vs. 1,88 ± 0,23, p < 0,001), TBR (1,18 ± 0,14 vs. 1,29 ± 0,13, p < 0,001) und bsSUV_max (0,25 ± 0,18 vs. 0,41 ± 0,16, p < 0,001) waren bei Männern mit ABAT signifikant geringer. ABAT (Odds ratio [OR] = 0,19, p = 0,024) und HDL-Cholesterol (OR = 0,95, p = 0,037) waren in einer multiplen logistischen Regressionsanalyse unabhängige Faktoren, die mit CAC assoziiert waren. Schlussfolgerung : ABAT ist assoziiert mit einer herunterregulierten arteriellen Entzündung und übt möglicherweise einen schützenden Effekt gegen die Entwicklung einer Atherosklerose aus.