title: Association of epicardial fat with cardiovascular risk factors and incident myocardial infarction in the general population: the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to determine whether epicardial fat volume predicts coronary events in the general population.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is suggested to promote plaque development in the coronary artery tree.
  
  
  METHODS
  We quantified EAT volume in participants from the prospective population-based Heinz Nixdorf Recall cohort study free of cardiovascular disease. Incident coronary events were assessed during a follow-up period of 8.0 ± 1.5 years. Multivariable association of EAT with cardiovascular risk factors, coronary artery calcification (CAC), and coronary events was assessed using regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the overall 4,093 participants (age 59.4 years, 47% male), 130 subjects developed a fatal or nonfatal coronary event. Incidence of coronary events increased by quartile of EAT (0.9% vs. 4.7% for 1(st) and 4th quartile, respectively, p < 0.001). Doubling of EAT was associated with a 1.5-fold risk of coronary events when adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.54 [1.09 to 2.19]), which remained unaltered after further adjustment for CAC score (HR [95% CI]: 1.50 [1.07 to 2.11]). For discrimination of subjects with events from those without, we observed a trend for improvement of Harrell's C and explained variance by EAT over traditional cardiovascular risk factors, which, however, did not reach statistical significance (0.720 to 0.730 for risk factors alone and with EAT added, respectively, p = 0.10, R(2) = 2.73% to R(2) = 2.92%, time-dependent integrated discrimination improvement = 0.196%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epicardial fat is associated with fatal and nonfatal coronary events in the general population independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and complements information from cardiac computed tomography above the CAC score.
authors: Department of Cardiology, West-German Heart Center, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen, Germany. amir-abbas.mahabadi@uk-essen.de
authors: Amir A
authors: AA
authors: Mahabadi
authors: Marie H
authors: MH
authors: Berg
authors: Nils
authors: N
authors: Lehmann
authors: Hagen
authors: H
authors: Kälsch
authors: Marcus
authors: M
authors: Bauer
authors: Kaffer
authors: K
authors: Kara
authors: Nico
authors: N
authors: Dragano
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Moebus
authors: Karl-Heinz
authors: KH
authors: Jöckel
authors: Raimund
authors: R
authors: Erbel
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Möhlenkamp
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors