Epicardial Fat in Atrial Fibrillation: The Effect of Cardioautonomic Nervous System Function

Abstract

We read the recent report “Relation of proinflammatory activity of epicardial adipose tissue to the occurrence of atrial fibrillation” by Mazurek et al. 1 Mazurek T. Kiliszek M. Kobylecka M. Skubisz-Głuchowska J. Kochman J. Filipiak K. Królicki L. Opolski G. Relation of proinflammatory activity of epicardial adipose tissue to the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. Am J Cardiol. 2014; 113: 1505-1508 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (102) Google Scholar Their purpose was to investigate epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) inflammatory activity using 18-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and in controls. The authors very clearly discussed inflammatory activity of EAT reflected by standardized uptake value is greater in patients with AF than that in controls. Inflammatory activity of EAT adjacent to left atrium, atrioventricular groove, and left main artery is greater than in subcutaneous or visceral thoracic tissue. In addition to their discussion, we aimed to emphasize the possible other relative mechanism between epicardial fat and AF, the contribution of cardioautonomic nervous system function. Relation of Proinflammatory Activity of Epicardial Adipose Tissue to the Occurrence of Atrial FibrillationAmerican Journal of CardiologyVol. 113Issue 9PreviewEpicardial adipose tissue (EAT) contains abundant ganglionated plexi that might contribute to the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Maximal standardized uptake value (SUV) of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) reflects glucose metabolism of the tissue. It has also been shown that FDG-PET is proportional to macrophage density. We examined EAT inflammatory activity using FDG-PET/computerized tomography in patients with AF and in controls. Retrospective analysis of patients who underwent FDG-PET/computerized tomography was performed. Full-Text PDF