Higher pericardial adiposity is associated with prevalent diabetes: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study

Abstract

Background and Aims Pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) is located on both sides of the pericardium. We tested whether PAT was associated with prevalent diabetes at the year 25 exam of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Methods and Results The CARDIA Year 25 exam (2010-2011) included complete data for all covariates on 3107 participants. Prevalent diabetes (n=436) was defined as high fasting (≥126 mg/dl) or 2-hour postload glucose (≥200 mg/dl) or HbA1c (≥6.5%) or use of diabetes medications. Volume of PAT was measured from computed tomographic scans. Logistic regression was performed to examine the relationship between quartiles of PAT and diabetes. In regression models adjusted for field center, sex, race, age, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, log triglycerides, and treatment with blood pressure and cholesterol lowering medication, PAT volume in the 4th quartile was significantly associated with diabetes status after adjustment for BMI (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.66, 3.98) or visceral adipose tissue (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.32, 3.29). PAT volume in the 2nd and 3rd quartiles was not significantly associated with diabetes status relative to the first quartile. Conclusions Metabolically active pericardial adipose tissue is associated with prevalent diabetes only at higher volumes independent of overall obesity.

The role of pericardial adipose tissue in the heart of obese minipigs

“…Recent literature demonstrates a positive correlation between PAT and the development of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis and heart diseases, including the long-term mortality of heart failure 10,18 ; however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully recognized. The present results provided the potential associations of PAT with the pathogenesis of HFD-related myocardial fibrosis: (1) HFD caused LA deficiency and elevated AA accumulation, thus altering the PAT structure to potentially cause PAT dysfunction; (2) HFD increased adipokine secretion and oxidative stress in PAT conceivably contributing to a local effect on heart function, perhaps in a paracrine manner.…”

Association of smoking with abdominal adipose deposition and muscle composition in Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) participants at mid-life: A population-based cohort study

“…However, smoking has also been associated with central fat patterning [9,10]. Central fat patterning suggests higher ectopic fat deposition within or around non-adipose tissues or organs (e.g., liver, muscle, or heart), which is, in turn, strongly associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and all-cause mortality [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Studies using computed tomography (CT) to delineate specific adipose depots suggest that smoking is associated with higher visceral adipose tissue (VAT) [20][21][22][23], but less is known about the role of smoking in ectopic adipose depots other than VAT.…”

Intermuscular Adipose Tissue and Subclinical Coronary Artery Calcification in Midlife

“…The present data and previous studies show that IMAT is directly correlated with VAT and PAT volume and the latter are strongly associated with adverse CVD risk factor profiles 20–23 . In CARDIA, we have recently shown that higher PAT is associated with diabetes prevalence even after controlling for BMI and VAT 24 . Higher VAT is also associated with prevalent subclinical atherosclerosis in the preponderance of studies, though it remains unclear as to whether this relationship is independent of cardiometabolic risk factors and overall obesity 15,25–28 .…”