title: Effects of Atorvastatin (80 mg) Therapy on Quantity of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Patients Undergoing Pulmonary Vein Isolation for Atrial Fibrillation.
abstract: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been recognized as a sensitive marker of cardiometabolic risk. Recent evidence suggests efficacy of long-term statin therapy in reducing EAT in patients with coronary artery disease. Whether short-term statin therapy is associated with changes in the volume of EAT is currently unknown. A cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation who underwent pulmonary vein isolation were randomized to receive either 80 mg/day of atorvastatin (n = 38, 32 men, age 56 ± 11 years) or placebo (n = 41, 33 men, age 56 ± 10 years) for a 3-month period. EAT volume was assessed by cardiac computed tomography at baseline and at follow-up. Patients randomized to statin treatment exhibited a modest but significant decrease in median EAT volume (baseline vs follow-up: 92.3 cm(3) [62.0 to 133.3] vs 86.9 cm(3) [64.1 to 124.8], p <0.05), whereas median EAT remained unchanged in the placebo group (81.9 cm(3) [55.5 to 110.9] vs 81.3 cm(3) [57.1 to 110.5], p = NS). Changes in median systemic inflammatory markers and lipid profile were also seen with statin treatment: C-reactive protein (2.4 mg/L [0.7 to 3.7] vs 1.1 mg/L [0.5 to 2.7], p <0.05), total cholesterol (186 mg/dL [162.5 to 201] vs 123 mg/dL [99 to 162.5], p <0.001), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (116 mg/dL [96.5 to 132.5] vs 56 [40.5 to 81] mg/dL, p <0.001) diminished, whereas median body mass index did not change (27.8 kg/m(2) [25 to 30] versus 27.6 kg/m(2) [25.7 to 30.5], p = NS). No variations occurred in the placebo group. In conclusion, short-term intensive statin therapy significantly reduced the volume of EAT in patients with atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soucek
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Naima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Covassin
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Prachi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ruzek
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suleiman
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lerman
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Celeste
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koestler
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lopez-Jimenez
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Electronic address: somers.virend@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Virend K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Somers
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects*; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000069059:Atorvastatin