Total and Interatrial Epicardial Adipose Tissues Are Independently Associated With Left Atrial Remodeling in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Atrial Fibrillation. Introduction: As epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a metabolically active visceral fat, potential interaction between EAT and myocardium is strongly suggested. The aims of this study were to determine whether the amount and regional distribution of EAT are related to the chronicity of atrial fibrillation (AF) and left atrial (LA) remodeling. Methods and Results: This study consisted of 40 subjects with paroxysmal AF (PAF) and 40 with persistent AF (PeAF). Eighty subjects with no history of AF were enrolled as controls. Total volume of EAT (EAT total), regional thickness of EAT, and LA volume (LAV) were measured by multislice computed tomography. In the AF group, blood samples were drawn from coronary sinus for analysis of inflammatory cytokines including adiponectin. Results: Compared with controls, AF subjects had larger LAV, EAT(total) and the thicknesses of periatrial EAT including interatrial septum (IAS). However, the thicknesses of periventricular EAT were not different between the groups. The PeAF subjects had larger LAV, EAT(total), and periatrial EAT thicknesses, higher levels of inflammatory cytokines, and lower level of adiponectin than did the PAF subjects. Adiponection level was significantly associated with EAT(total) and IAS thickness. Multivariate analysis revealed that EAT total (P = 0.004) and IAS thickness (P = 0.016) were independently associated with LAV. Conclusion: EAT(total) and thickness of periatrial EAT were significantly larger in AF subjects compared to those of the matched controls and were closely related to the chronicity of AF. Moreover, EAT total and IAS thickness were independently associated with LAV in subjects with AF. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 22, pp. 647-655, June 2011)