title: Relationships between left atrial pericardial fat and permanent atrial fibrillation: Results of a case-control study.
abstract: The goal of this study was to retrospectively investigate the relationships between pericardial fat, left atrium volume (LAV) as measured on multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) using a case-control study.
  
  
  
  The study population consisted of 58 patients (19 men, 39 women; mean age, 67.8±10 [SD] years) with persistent AF and 74 control subjects (30 men, 44 women; mean age, 67.8±10.9 [SD] years). The associations between the presence of persistent AF and periatrial pericardial fat volume (PAFV), periatrial pericardial fat thickness (PAFT), and LAV as measured on MDCT were searched for using univariate and multiple linear regression analysis.
  
  
  
  On univariate analysis, significant differences were found between patients with AF and control subjects for mean PAFV (54.33cm(3)±23.43 [SD]; range: 12.2-111.1cm(3) vs 42.99cm(3)±20.76 [SD]; range: 7.4-103.9cm(3), respectively) (P=0.01), PAFT at the esophagus (1.87mm±1.65 [SD]; range: 0.1-9.5mm vs 1.12mm±0.77 [SD]; range: 0.1-3.6mm, respectively) (P<0.001) and normalized LAV (78.3cm(3)/m(2)±48.84 [SD]; range: 32.1-319.6cm(3)/m(2) vs 42.1cm(3)/m(2)±25.43 [SD]; range: 15.7-191.4cm(3)/m(2), respectively) (P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that only LAV was an independent predictor (P<0.001) of persistent AF. Also PAFV was significantly associated with LAV (P=0.01).
  
  
  
  LAV is greater in patients with AF than in control subjects and PAFV is strongly associated with LAV. PAFV and PAFT are not independently associated with AF.
authors.affiliation: Yildirim Beyazit University, Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital, Radiology, Yeni Batı Mah.2026.Cad. Batıkent Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: drderyasevinc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sevinc
authors.affiliation: Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Radiology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pasaoglu
authors.affiliation: Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Cardiology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.affiliation: Mustafa Kemal University, Medical Faculty, Department of Radiology, Radiology, Hatay, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Atci
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Radiology Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alimli
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ucar
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D009929:Organ Size; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Cardiac; Computed tomography; Pericardial fat