Moradi Golnaz, Abed Aisen, Zarei Diana, Ashraf Haleh, Asefi Hoda
Department of Radiology Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran.
Advanced Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Research Center (ADIR) Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran.
Health Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 20;7(8):e70010. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.70010. eCollection 2024 Aug.
This study examines the relationships between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) using non-ECG-gated CT scans. It aims to determine the effectiveness of EAT measurements and NAFLD as predictors for coronary artery disease (CAD).
This cross-sectional study was conducted at a specialized center, focusing on individuals who underwent non-ECG-gated chest CT scans without contrast. We evaluated EAT thickness and density in three areas: the right atrioventricular groove, the free wall of the right ventricle, and the central area of the right anterior interventricular groove. Additionally, we measured CACS and determined the presence of NAFLD by comparing liver-to-spleen density ratios. Statistical analyses, including regression models, were performed using SPSS (version 26).
In this study, we enrolled 365 participants, including 203 males with an average age of 47 ± 17.93 years. EAT thickness was 6.28 ± 1.62 mm, and EAT density was -96.07 ± 12.47 Hounsfield units (HU). The mean CACS was 22.27 ± 79.01, and the mean liver density was 50.01 ± 10.76 HU. A significant positive correlation was observed between EAT thickness and CACS ( = 0.208, < 0.001). EAT density showed a significant negative correlation with CACS ( = -0.155, = 0.003). No correlation was found between NAFLD and CACS. Univariate logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors of increased CACS, including EAT thickness (OR: 1.803), EAT density (OR: 0.671), diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR: 5.921), and hypertension (HTN) (OR: 7.414). Multivariate analysis confirmed the significance of EAT thickness (OR: 0.682), DM (OR: 3.66), and HTN (OR: 2.79) as predictors of elevated CACS.
Our findings demonstrate that increased EAT thickness and decreased density are associated with higher CACS. Also, both DM and HTN significantly contribute to increased CACS. These results support the inclusion of EAT measurements in cardiovascular risk assessment models to enhance diagnostic accuracy.
本研究使用非心电图门控CT扫描，探讨心外膜脂肪组织（EAT）、非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）与冠状动脉钙化积分（CACS）之间的关系。旨在确定EAT测量值和NAFLD作为冠状动脉疾病（CAD）预测指标的有效性。
本横断面研究在一个专业中心进行，研究对象为接受非心电图门控胸部CT平扫的个体。我们评估了三个区域的EAT厚度和密度：右房室沟、右心室游离壁和右前室间沟中央区域。此外，我们测量了CACS，并通过比较肝脾密度比来确定NAFLD的存在。使用SPSS（26版）进行统计分析，包括回归模型。
本研究共纳入365名参与者，其中包括203名男性，平均年龄为47±17.93岁。EAT厚度为6.28±1.62mm，EAT密度为-96.07±12.47亨氏单位（HU）。平均CACS为22.27±79.01，平均肝脏密度为50.01±10.76HU。EAT厚度与CACS之间存在显著正相关（=0.208，<0.001）。EAT密度与CACS呈显著负相关（=-0.155，=0.003）。未发现NAFLD与CACS之间存在相关性。单因素逻辑回归分析确定了CACS升高的显著预测因素，包括EAT厚度（OR：1.803）、EAT密度（OR：0.671）、糖尿病（DM）（OR：5.921）和高血压（HTN）（OR：7.414）。多因素分析证实EAT厚度（OR：0.682）、DM（OR：3.66）和HTN（OR：2.79）作为CACS升高预测指标的显著性。
我们的研究结果表明，EAT厚度增加和密度降低与较高的CACS相关。此外，DM和HTN均显著导致CACS升高。这些结果支持将EAT测量纳入心血管风险评估模型以提高诊断准确性。
