Pericardial adipose tissue is an independent risk factor of coronary artery disease and is associated with risk factors of coronary artery disease

Abstract

Objective Pericardial adipose tissue volume (PATV) is related to the mechanism of coronary artery disease (CAD), but its association with CAD risk factors is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between PATV and its associated factors. Methods A total of 682 inpatients were consecutively enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into the high PATV group (PATV ≥174.5 cm3; n = 506) and low PATV group (PATV < 174.5 cm3; n = 176). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the related factors of PATV. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of CAD. Results Left ventricular fat volume, right ventricular fat volume, body mass index, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significant and independent risk factors of enlargement of PATV. Increased PATV was identified as an independent risk factor of CAD, and increased pulse pressure was also independently and positively correlated with CAD. Conclusions PATV is significantly correlated with the classic risk factors of CAD. Pulse pressure is also correlated with PATV. PATV is an independent risk factor of CAD, and pericardial adipose tissue may alternatively be used in non-invasive diagnostic examination of CAD.

The NLRP3 inflammasome activation in subcutaneous, epicardial and pericardial adipose tissue in patients with coronary heart disease undergoing coronary by-pass surgery

“…The infiltration of pro-inflammatory cells was also highly present in both SAT and PAT, in fact higher than in EAT, again indicating their pro-inflammatory phenotypes. PAT per se has furthermore been shown to be a mediator of metabolic risk and CVD, and thus contribute to coronary atherosclerosis [ 18 , 27 ].…”

“…However, with overweight and obesity increased volume of EAT has been associated with atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome [ 16 ], and EAT have therefore been discussed to be a source of circulating inflammatory cytokines [ 17 ]. The pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) which is separated from the heart by the pericardium [ 15 ], is discussed to have less inflammatory properties, although related to body mass index (BMI), metabolic risk factors and the amount of VAT in some studies [ 18 , 19 ]. A pro-inflammatory state also in SAT has been shown to be associated with CVD [ 20 ].…”

Pericardial Adipose Tissue–Derived Leptin Promotes Myocardial Apoptosis in High‐Fat Diet–Induced Obese Rats Through Janus Kinase 2/Reactive Oxygen Species/Na+/K+‐ATPase Signaling Pathway

“…PAT has been found in clinical studies to be significantly associated with key characteristics of obesity, and it has been proposed as a new indicator of CVDs. 19 , 20 , 21 Indeed, because of the close proximity to the coronary artery and the underlying myocardium, PAT may exert a local toxic effect on the nearby organs rather than a systemic effect as a cardiometabolic risk factor. However, the above conclusion is barely supported by direct evidence.…”

Macrophage polarization markers in subcutaneous, pericardial, and epicardial adipose tissue are altered in patients with coronary heart disease

“…PAT is separated from the heart by pericardium and, differently from EAT, receives blood supply from non-coronary arteries. Its role as a source of cardiac biochemical mediators is still a matter of debate (7). EAT exerts various anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory activities and regulates cardiac thermogenesis (8), while PAT apparently has less antiinflammatory activity (9).…”

“…According to some studies, the EAT volume is increased in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (11,12), although this was not confirmed by others (13), and may be a predictor of cardio-metabolic risk (14). Similarly, also increased PAT volume has been shown to associate with CV risk, lipid disorders, hypertension and obesity (7,9). AT secretes a wide variety of adipokines, cytokines and chemokines (15, 16), thus being at the crossroad between metabolism and immunity.…”