title: Association of pericardial fat volume with coronary atherosclerotic disease assessed by CT angiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of pericardial fat volume (PFV) with coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with intermediate pre-test probability of ischaemic heart disease assessed by coronary CT angiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a total of 115 consecutive Iraqi patients who underwent 64-multislice multidetector CT angiography examinations, only 74 patients (females, 38% and males, 68%) with a mean age of 54 ± 8 years were found to be eligible for statistical analysis. The patients were divided into two groups according to the median value of PFV (above and below 100 ml).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median value of PFV in our study was 100 ml (range, 17-319 ml). A significant association was observed between high PFV and significant coronary artery stenosis (p = 0.005), between high PFV and significant left circumflex stenosis (p = 0.021) and between high PFV and the presence of coronary plaque (p = 0.005). Whereas there was no significant correlation between high PFV and coronary calcium score (p = 0.188), between high PFV and number of diseased coronary vessels (p > 0.3), and between high PFV and body weight and body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased PFV is strongly associated with the presence and severity of CAD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study highlights the role of pericardial fat as an emerging biomarker in cardiovascular risk assessment and supports its association with the magnitude of CAD.
authors.affiliation: 1 Radiology and Internal Medicine Department, AL-Sader Teaching Hospital, Medicine College, Kufa University, Najaf, Iraq.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nafakhi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Mosawi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Nafakh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tawfeeq
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
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