title: Association between epicardial adipose tissue volumes on 3-dimensional reconstructed CT images and recurrence of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whether epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is independently associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and outcome after catheter ablation (CA) for AF remains unclear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three-dimensional volume-rendering reconstructed images of EAT (total EAT) and EAT surrounding the left atrium (LA-EAT) were measured on 320-row multidetector computed tomography in 40 patients with AF (paroxysmal AF [PAF], n = 24; persistent AF [PerAF], n = 16) who underwent CA, and in 37 age-matched control patients. EAT volumes were as follows for the control, PAF and PerAF patients: total EAT, 138.3 ± 45.2 cm³ vs. 158.3 ± 47.2 cm³ vs. 226.4 ± 93.3 cm³ (P<0.01 for control or PAF vs. PerAF); LA-EAT, 32.9 ± 14.5 cm³ vs. 41.3 ± 15.3 cm³ vs. 66.8 ± 35.1 cm³ (P < 0.001 for control or PAF vs. PerAF). EAT volume was independently associated with the presence of AF after adjustment for possible confounding factors. EAT volume was significantly greater in patients with lone AF than in control patients (total EAT, 132.8 ± 33.3 cm³ vs. 106.2 ± 27.3 cm³, P=0.021; LA-EAT: 34.0 ± 10.6 cm³ vs. 21.8 ± 6.9 cm³, P = 0.0006). EAT volumes were greater in the 15 AF patients (37.5%) with post-ablation recurrence than in patients without recurrence (total EAT: 239.0 ± 90.2 cm³ vs. 153.5 ± 42.7 cm³, P=0.0002; LA-EAT: 69.6 ± 35.5 cm³ vs. 40.7 ± 13.9 cm³, P=0.0008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EAT volume increases in AF patients independent of conventional risk factors and is greater in patients with lone AF than in non-AF patients. EAT volume might be useful for predicting AF recurrence after CA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Toshiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Kimie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohkubo
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kofune
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kofune
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirayama
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed