Gender disparities in the association between epicardial adipose tissue volume and coronary atherosclerosis: A 3-dimensional cardiac computed tomography imaging study in Japanese subjects

Munkhbaatar Dagvasumberel,Hirotsugu Kurobe,Kenya Kusunose,Junji Ueno,Shusuke Yagi,Daiju Fukuda,Michio Shimabukuro,Takeshi Soeki,Hirotsugu Yamada,Tetsuzo Wakatsuki,Koji Yamaguchi,Yoichiro Hirata,Masataka Sata,Noriko Tomita,Toshiyuki Niki,Masafumi Harada,Tetsuya Kitagawa,Takao Sugiyama ,Yuji Taketani ,Takashi Igarashi ,Takumi Nishiuchi

doi:10.1186/1475-2840-11-106

Munkhbaatar Dagvasumberel, Hirotsugu Kurobe + Show 19 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2840-11-106

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Journal: Cardiovascular diabetology	Publication Date: Sep 10, 2012
Citations: 82	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Tokushima University

Abstract

BackgroundGrowing evidence suggests that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may contribute to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, we explored gender disparities in EAT volume (EATV) and its impact on coronary atherosclerosis.MethodsThe study population consisted of 90 consecutive subjects (age: 63 ± 12 years; men: 47, women: 43) who underwent 256-slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography. EATV was measured as the sum of cross-sectional epicardial fat area on CT images, from the lower surface of the left pulmonary artery origin to the apex. Subjects were segregated into the CAD group (coronary luminal narrowing > 50%) and non-CAD group.ResultsEATV/body surface area (BSA) was higher among men in the CAD group than in the non-CAD group (62 ± 13 vs. 33 ± 10 cm3/m2, p < 0.0001), but did not differ significantly among women in the 2 groups (49 ± 18 vs. 42 ± 9 cm3/m2, not significant). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that EATV/BSA was the single predictor for >50% coronary luminal narrowing in men (p < 0.0001). Predictors excluded were age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia.ConclusionsIncreased EATV is strongly associated with coronary atherosclerosis in men.

Highlights

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the visceral fat located between the outer layer of the myocardium and the visceral pericardium [1,2,3,4]
By using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), 22 men and 16 women were segregated into the coronary artery disease (CAD) group (>50% luminal narrowing), while 25 men and 27 women were segregated into the non-CAD group
When the non-CAD and CAD groups were combined, we found that the EAT volume (EATV) was higher in men than in women (80 ± 33 vs. 65 ± 21 cm3; p = 0.0089), but the mean EATV/height and EATV/ Body surface area (BSA) were comparable (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the visceral fat located between the outer layer of the myocardium and the visceral pericardium [1,2,3,4]. Two population-based studies, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and the Framingham Heart Study, showed that EATV is an independent risk predictor for cardiovascular disease [5,8,9]. Because EAT and the myocardium are located close anatomically, it is predicted that cytokines/adipocytokines produced by infiltrated macrophages or by adipocytes could locally modulate myocardial function or contribute to the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis [1,2,3,4,5]. Growing evidence suggests that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may contribute to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). We explored gender disparities in EAT volume (EATV) and its impact on coronary atherosclerosis

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Conclusion