Whilst pericardial fat is correlated with multiple measures of adiposity and cardiovascular disease risk factors, visceral abdominal fat appears to be a stronger correlate of most metabolic risk factors
Document Actions
Pericardial fat appears to be an important mediator of metabolic risk, though correlations with cardiovascular disease risk factors and vascular calcification are still lacking. The study was aimed to investigate the associations between pericardial fat, visceral abdominal fat, metabolic risk factors, and vascular calcifications in a community-based setting. A total of 1,155 participants of the Framingham Heart Study included in a multidetector computed tomography evaluation programme underwent quantification of intrathoracic fat, pericardial fat, visceral abdominal fat (VAT), coronary artery calcification, and aortic artery calcification. All participants were free of cardiovascular disease. Intrathoracic and pericardial fat were directly correlated with body mass index, waist circumference, and VAT. After multivariable adjustment, both intrathoracic and pericardial fat were associated with higher triglycerides, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertension, impaired fasting glucose or diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. These associations persisted after additional adjustment for body mass index and waist circumference but not after adjusting for VAT. After multivariable and VAT adjustment, pericardial fat, but not intrathoracic fat, was associated with coronary calcification whereas intrathoracic fat, but not pericardial fat, was associated with abdominal aortic calcification. In conclusion, while pericardial fat is associated with multiple measures of adiposity and cardiovascular disease risk factors, VAT appears to be a stronger predictor of metabolic risk factors. Nonetheless, both fats are associated with vascular calcification, suggesting that these fat depots exert local toxic effects on the vasculature.
Abstract
