Relationship between epicardial adipose tissue volume measured using coronary computed tomography angiography and atherosclerotic plaque characteristics in patients with severe coronary artery stenosis.
AIM
To investigate the relationship between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and coronary plaque composition.


METHODS
EAT volume (measured using coronary computed tomography angiography) and coronary plaque characteristics were assessed on a per-segment basis (modified 15-segment American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association classification) in patients with severe coronary artery stenosis. Coronary plaques were classified into four types: 1, calcified plaques; 2, mixed plaques (calcification dominant); 3, mixed plaques (non-calcification dominant); and 4, non-calcified plaques. The gold standard for luminal stenosis was conventional coronary angiography.


RESULTS
In 365 patients (mean age 58.7 ± 8.0 years), EAT volume was 169.85 ± 29.94 ml. There were no significant between-group differences in patient characteristics. Statistically significant differences in EAT volume between non-calcified and calcified plaque groups were observed. EAT volume showed a positive correlation with total cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and a very weak correlation with age, triglyceride, body mass index and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol.


CONCLUSION
EAT volume was higher in the presence of non-calcified and mixed plaques in patients with ≥50% severe coronary artery stenosis.
['Dong|Dan-Dan|DD|', 'Wang|Kai|K|', 'Wang|Dan|D|', 'Zhang|Tong|T|', 'Tu|Ying-Feng|YF|', 'Shen|Bao-Zhong|BZ|']
D000273:Adipose Tissue D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D015992:Body Mass Index D002114:Calcinosis D008076:Cholesterol, HDL D008078:Cholesterol, LDL D017023:Coronary Angiography D023921:Coronary Stenosis D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D010496:Pericardium D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic D012307:Risk Factors D012720:Severity of Illness Index D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed D014280:Triglycerides
epicardial adipose tissue angiography plaque composition Coronary artery disease X-ray computed tomography