Role of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Atrial Fibrillation

Increased Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness on Transthoracic Echocardiography in Patients With Behçet Disease

“…Recent reports has shown that the epicardial adipose tissue volume was highly associated with atrial fibrillation, even after adjustment for risk factors, including left atrial dilatation and BMI. 34 We also showed in our study that epicardial adipose tissue thickness was substantially correlated with visceral body fat in a manner consistent with previous studies. 4 Our findings of increased epicardial adipose tissue thickness dependent on Behçet disease activity and duration in patients compared to controls may also provide a possible link between Behçet disease and atherosclerosis.…”

“…However, Doesch et al 35 stated that the amount of epicardial adipose tissue is decreased compared to healthy controls in patients with heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy, irrespective of LV function impairment, and also, increased epicardial adipose tissue as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is associated with LV mass and volume in these patients. Recent reports has shown that the epicardial adipose tissue volume was highly associated with atrial fibrillation, even after adjustment for risk factors, including left atrial dilatation and BMI 34 . We also showed in our study that epicardial adipose tissue thickness was substantially correlated with visceral body fat in a manner consistent with previous studies 4 .…”

“…Atherosclerosis has been identified as an inflammatory disease, 30 and it has been shown that epicardial adipose tissue is associated with 3 , 31 – 33 but not specific to atherosclerosis, as the recent literature suggests that it is also higher in patients with atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and hypertension 34 – 36 . Bachar et al 32 showed that asymptomatic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have significantly more epicardial adipose tissue than patients without CAD.…”

Possible Roles of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in the Pathogenesis of Coronary Atherosclerosis

“…Recent studies suggested that EAT might be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) (23). In Framingham heart cohort, periatrial EAT volume was measured by CT in 3217 subjects.…”

Epicardial Fat: More than Just an “Epi” Phenomenon?

“…EAT, because of its contiguity with atrial tissue, may have paracrine eff ects on left atrial structures and the generation of infl ammatory cytokines, and may modulate the intrinsic autonomic nervous system [ 117 ] . Because EAT is known to be a source of infl ammatory adipocytokines, periatrial EAT may promote the activation of ectopic foci in the pulmonary vein ostia and create an atrial substrate for AF [ 118 ] . Lin et al demonstrated that epicardial fat tissues removed from rabbits with heart failure modulated the atrial electrophysiological and contractive properties of the atria, which in turn, may enhance atrial arrhythmogenesis [ 119 ] .…”