Relationship of pericardial fat with lipoprotein distribution: The Multi-Ethnic study of atherosclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
Pericardial fat and lipoprotein abnormalities contribute to increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated the relationship between pericardial fat volume and lipoprotein distribution, and whether the association of pericardial fat volume with subclinical atherosclerosis and incident CVD events differs according to lipoprotein distribution.


METHODS
We analyzed data from 5407 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis who had measurements of pericardial fat volume, lipoprotein distribution, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), and coronary artery calcium (CAC). All participants were free of clinically apparent CVD at baseline. Incident CVD was defined as any adjudicated CVD event.


RESULTS
After adjusting for demographic factors, traditional risk factors, and biomarkers of inflammation and hemostasis, a larger pericardial fat volume was associated with higher large VLDL particle (VLDL-P) concentration and small HDL particle (HDL-P) concentration, and smaller HDL-P size (regression coefficients = 0.585 nmol/L, 0.366 μmol/L, and -0.025 nm per SD increase in pericardial fat volume respectively, all P < 0.05). The association of pericardial fat volume with large VLDL-P concentration and HDL-P size, but not small HDL-P concentration, remained significant after further adjusting for each other as well as LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. The relationship of pericardial fat volume with incident CVD events, carotid IMT, and prevalence and severity of CAC did not differ by quartiles of large VLDL-P concentration, small HDL-P concentration, or HDL-P size (P for interaction>0.05).


CONCLUSION
Pericardial fat is associated with atherogenic lipoprotein abnormalities. However, its relationship with subclinical atherosclerosis and incident CVD events does not differ according to lipoprotein distribution.
['Ong|Kwok-Leung|KL|', 'Ding|Jingzhong|J|', 'McClelland|Robyn L|RL|', 'Cheung|Bernard M Y|BM|', 'Criqui|Michael H|MH|', 'Barter|Philip J|PJ|', 'Rye|Kerry-Anne|KA|', 'Allison|Matthew A|MA|']
D000273:Adipose Tissue D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D050197:Atherosclerosis D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness D008076:Cholesterol, HDL D008078:Cholesterol, LDL D005260:Female D006487:Hemostasis D006801:Humans D008055:Lipids D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL D008137:Longitudinal Studies D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D010496:Pericardium D012044:Regression Analysis D014280:Triglycerides D014481:United States
Pericardial fat Lipoproteins Cardiovascular disease Subclinical atherosclerosis Lipids