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Cardiovascular Diabetology
Published in: Cardiovascular Diabetology 1/2020

01-12-2020 | Computed Tomography | Original investigation

Relation of cardiac adipose tissue to coronary calcification and myocardial microvascular function in type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Authors: Emilie H. Zobel, Regitse Højgaard Christensen, Signe A. Winther, Philip Hasbak, Christian Stevns Hansen, Bernt J. von Scholten, Lene Holmvang, Andreas Kjaer, Peter Rossing, Tine W. Hansen

Published in: Cardiovascular Diabetology | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Cardiac adipose tissue may have local paracrine effects on epicardial arteries and the underlying myocardium, promoting calcification and affecting myocardial microcirculation. We explored whether the total amount of cardiac adipose tissue was associated with coronary artery calcium score (CAC) and myocardial flow reserve in persons with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and healthy controls.

Methods

We studied three groups: (1) 30 controls, (2) 60 persons with type 1 diabetes and (3) 60 persons with type 2 diabetes. The three groups were matched for sex and age. The three groups derived from retrospective analysis of two clinical studies. All underwent cardiac 82Rb positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning. Cardiac adipose tissue volume (the sum of epicardial and pericardial fat), CAC, and myocardial flow reserve (ratio of pharmacological stress flow and rest flow) were evaluated using semiautomatic software. We applied linear regression to assess the association between cardiac adipose tissue, CAC and myocardial flow reserve.

Results

Mean (SD) cardiac adipose tissue volume was 99 (61) mL in the control group, 106 (78) mL in the type 1 diabetes group and 228 (97) mL in the type 2 diabetes group. Cardiac adipose tissue was positively associated with body mass index in all three groups (p ≤ 0.02). In the controls, cardiac adipose tissue was positively associated with CAC score (p = 0.008) and negatively associated with myocardial flow reserve (p = 0.005). However, cardiac adipose tissue was not associated with CAC or myocardial flow reserve in the groups including persons with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (p ≥ 0.50).

Conclusions

In contrast to what was found in healthy controls, we could not establish a relation between cardiac adipose tissue and coronary calcification or myocardial microvascular function in person with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The role of cardiac adipose tissue in cardiovascular disease in diabetes remains unclear.
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Metadata
Title
Relation of cardiac adipose tissue to coronary calcification and myocardial microvascular function in type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Authors
Emilie H. Zobel
Regitse Højgaard Christensen
Signe A. Winther
Philip Hasbak
Christian Stevns Hansen
Bernt J. von Scholten
Lene Holmvang
Andreas Kjaer
Peter Rossing
Tine W. Hansen
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Cardiovascular Diabetology / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2840
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-020-0995-x

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