title: The association of pericardial fat with coronary artery plaque index at MR imaging: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship of pericardial fat, which secretes proinflammatory markers that have been implicated in coronary atherosclerosis, with atherosclerotic plaque in an asymptomatic population-based cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this institutional review board-approved study, all participants supplied written informed consent. One hundred eighty-three participants (89 women, 94 men; mean age, 61 years ± 9 [standard deviation]) from the community-based Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) were included. The coronary artery eccentricity (ratio of maximal to minimal coronary artery wall thickness) was determined by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and served as an index of plaque burden. The pericardial fat volume was determined by using computed tomography. Linear regression coefficient analysis was used to correlate pericardial fat volume with coronary artery wall thickness and plaque eccentricity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pericardial fat volume correlated significantly with degree of plaque eccentricity (P < .05) in both men and women. After adjustments for body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, traditional risk factors, C-reactive protein level, and coronary artery calcium content, the relationship between pericardial fat and plaque eccentricity remained significant in men (P < .01) but not in women. BMI and waist circumference correlated with degree of plaque eccentricity in the univariate model (P < .05) but not after adjustment for pericardial fat volume or traditional risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pericardial fat volume, rather than BMI and waist circumference, was more strongly related to plaque eccentricity as a measure of coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden. The results support the proposed role of pericardial fat in association with atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Cuilian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Shaoguang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jingzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Kiang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Debiao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Robson
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: Shenghan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vogel-Claussen
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: João A C
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bluemke
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000175:diagnosis*