Pericardial Fat Is Associated With the Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmia in Asian Patients

• Published in: Circulation Journal Vol. 80; no. 8; pp. 1726 - 1733
• Main Authors: Tam, Weng-Chio, Chan, Wing-Pong, Chen, Yi-Jen, Lin, Yung-Kuo, Huang, Jen-Hung, Hsieh, Ming-Hsiung, Chen, Shih-Ann
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Circulation Society 25.07.2016
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - diagnostic imaging; Adipose Tissue - physiopathology; Aged; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - diagnostic imaging; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - physiopathology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Dual-source computed tomography; Electrocardiography; Female; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Heart Ventricles - physiopathology; Humans; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Pericardial fat; Pericardium - diagnostic imaging; Pericardium - physiopathology; Risk Factors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ventricular arrhythmia
• ISSN: 1346-9843; 1347-4820; 1347-4820
• DOI: 10.1253/circj.CJ-16-0047

Background:Pericardial fat is correlated with the occurrence of atrial fibrillation or coronary atherosclerosis. However, the role of pericardial fat in ventricular arrhythmia remains unclear.Methods and Results:Patients who had undergone dual-source computed tomography and 24-h Holter ECG were retrospectively enrolled. Quantification of the volume of pericardial fat surrounding the ventricles was analyzed using threshold attenuation of dual-source CT. The volume of pericardial fat was significantly different among those without ventricular premature beats (VPBs) in 24 h (n=28), those with occasional VPBs (n=54) and those with frequent VPBs (n=34) (12.5±6.1 cm3vs. 14±8.9 cm3vs. 29.9±17.3 cm3, P<0.001). In addition, the number of VPBs strongly correlated with the volume of total pericardial fat (R=0.501, P<0.001), right ventricular (RV) pericardial fat (R=0.539, P<0.001), and left ventricular pericardial fat (R=0.376, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that quartiles of RV localized pericardial fat significantly increased the risk of frequent VPBs (OR=3.2, P=0.047). Moreover, the number of VPBs in 24 h was significantly different among the patients with a fat volume within the 25th percentile, 25–75th percentile and 75th percentile.Conclusions:Pericardial fat (especially RV pericardial fat) was associated with the frequency of VPBs, which suggests the arrhythmogenic potential of ventricular pericardial fat. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1726–1733)