Impact of the distribution of epicardial and visceral adipose tissue on left ventricular diastolic function

Abstract

Although epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) can contribute to left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), the impact of these distribution has not been fully understood. A total of 235 patients who underwent cardiac computed tomography angiography and Doppler echocardiography was included in this study. We evaluated the association of indexed EAT volume and VAT area with septal and lateral early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e'). The VAT area index was significantly associated with septal and lateral e' velocity after adjusted for conventional cardiovascular risk factors and obstructive coronary artery disease (β-estimate; - 0.015 and - 0.019, both p = 0.01). The natural logarithmic EAT volume index (ln EAT volume index) also showed a significant association with septal and lateral e' (β-estimate; - 1.72 and - 0.99, both p < 0.01). The significant association of ln EAT volume index with septal and lateral e' was observed even after adjusting for VAT area index (β-estimate; - 0.79 and - 1.52, both p < 0.03). In the subgroup analysis, there were significant association of ln EAT volume index with both septal and lateral e' in the lower VAT group (β-estimate; - 1.40 and - 1.53, both p < 0.03) and with lateral e' in the higher VAT group (β-estimate - 1.64, p = 0.006). In contrast, ln EAT volume index was not associated with septal e' in the higher VAT group (p = 0.98). EAT accumulation was significantly associated with LVDD independently of obstructive coronary artery disease and abdominal VAT. The impact of EAT on LVDD may vary depending on the amount of abdominal VAT.