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The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging

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Open Access 21-01-2024 | Atrial Fibrillation | Original Paper

Epicardial adipose tissue and subclinical incident atrial fibrillation as detected by continuous monitoring: a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study

Authors: Eva Guldberg, Søren Zöga Diederichsen, Ketil Jørgen Haugan, Axel Brandes, Claus Graff, Derk Krieger, Morten Salling Olesen, Søren Højberg, Lars Køber, Niels Vejlstrup, Litten Bertelsen, Jesper Hastrup Svendsen

Published in: The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging | Issue 3/2024

Abstract

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has endocrine and paracrine functions and has been associated with metabolic and cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to investigate the association between EAT, determined by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), and incident atrial fibrillation (AF) following long-term continuous heart rhythm monitoring by implantable loop recorder (ILR). This study is a sub-study of the LOOP study. In total, 203 participants without a history of AF received an ILR and underwent advanced CMR. All participants were at least 70 years of age at inclusion and had at least one of the following conditions: hypertension, diabetes, previous stroke, or heart failure. Volumetric measurements of atrial- and ventricular EAT were derived from CMR and the time to incident AF was subsequently determined. A total of 78 participants (38%) were diagnosed with subclinical AF during a median of 40 (37–42) months of continuous monitoring. In multivariable Cox regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and various comorbidities, we found EAT indexed to body surface area to be independently associated with the time to AF with hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) up to 2.93 (1.36–6.34); p = 0.01 when analyzing the risk of new-onset AF episodes lasting ≥ 24 h. Atrial EAT assessed by volumetric measurements on CMR images was significantly associated with the incident AF episodes as detected by ILR.

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Title: Epicardial adipose tissue and subclinical incident atrial fibrillation as detected by continuous monitoring: a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Eva Guldberg
Søren Zöga Diederichsen
Ketil Jørgen Haugan
Axel Brandes
Claus Graff
Derk Krieger
Morten Salling Olesen
Søren Højberg
Lars Køber
Niels Vejlstrup
Litten Bertelsen
Jesper Hastrup Svendsen
Publication date: 21-01-2024
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Keywords: Atrial Fibrillation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published in: The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging / Issue 3/2024
Print ISSN: 1569-5794
Electronic ISSN: 1875-8312
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-023-03029-z

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Epicardial adipose tissue and subclinical incident atrial fibrillation as detected by continuous monitoring: a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study

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