Weight change modulates epicardial fat burden: A 4-year serial study with non-contrast computed tomography

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Ryo Nakazato, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Ronak Rajani, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Victor Y. Cheng, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Haim Shmilovich, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Rine Nakanishi, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Yuka Otaki, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Heidi Gransar, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Piotr J. Slomka, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Sean W. Hayes, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Louise E. J. Thomson, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; John D. Friedman, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Nathan D. Wong, University of California Irvine; Leslee J Shaw, Emory University; Matthew Budoff, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute; Alan Rozanski, St. Lukes Roosevelt Hospital; Daniel S. Berman, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Damini Dey, Cedars Sinai Medical Center
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-01-01
• Publisher: Elsevier: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2011.10.014
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Atherosclerosis
• ISSN: 0021-9150
• Volume: 220
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 139
• End Page: 144
• Grant/Funding Information: The EISNER study was partially supported by the NIH NCRR GCRC grant (M01-RR00425).; This work was partly supported by a grant from the Eisner, Glazer, and Lincy Foundations (to Dr. Berman), the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (R21EB006829 to Dr. Dey).; Dr. Ronak Rajani was an advanced imaging fellow and was supported by the British Cardiac Society and the American College of Cardiology.
• Keywords: DISEASE; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; RISK-FACTORS; Science & Technology; Weight loss; Epicardial fat volume; NONCONTRAST CT; PERICARDIAL FAT; Adipose tissue; QUANTIFICATION; Cardiovascular System & Cardiology; Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems; CALCIUM; VISCERAL ABDOMINAL FAT; ASSOCIATION; ADIPOSE-TISSUE; Weight; Peripheral Vascular Disease
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Nutrition

Abstract

Introduction: Epicardial fat volume (EFV) is linked to cardiovascular event risk. We aimed to investigate the relationships between EFV and weight change. Methods: From the EISNER (Early Identification of Subclinical Atherosclerosis using Non-invasive Imaging Research) Registry with baseline and follow-up coronary calcium scans (1248 subjects), we selected a cohort of 374 asymptomatic subjects matched using age decade, gender and coronary calcium score (CCS) as a measure of subclinical cardiovascular risk, who underwent 2 scans at an interval of 4.1 ± 0.4 years. Using semi-automated validated software, pericardial contours were generated on all slices by spline interpolation from 5 to 10 control points. EFV was computed as fat volume within the pericardial contours. Weight gain/loss was defined as >5% change. Results: At baseline, EFV was moderately correlated to weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (r= 0.51, 0.41 and 0.50, p< 0.0001). EFV change was weakly correlated to change in weight (r= 0.37, p< 0.0001), BMI (r= 0.39, p< 0.0001) and waist circumference (r= 0.21, p= 0.002). On multivariable linear regression analysis, weight change [. β= 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-1.5, p< 0.001], BMI change (β= 1.2, 95% CI 0.9-1.5, p< 0.001), gender (β= -6.4, 95% CI -10.9 to -1.8, p= 0.006) and hypertension (β= 4.7, 95% CI 0.5-9.0, p= 0.03) predicted EFV change. EFV decreased in 54 subjects with weight loss and increased in 71 subjects with weight gain (-2.3 ± 21.1% vs. 23.3 ± 24.4%, p< 0.001). Conclusions: EFV is related to body weight, BMI and waist circumference. Reduction in weight may stabilize or reduce EFV, while weight gain may promote EFV increase.