Pericardial fat, visceral abdominal fat, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and vascular calcification in a community-based sample: the Framingham Heart Study.

Description

In this cross-sectional study performed in 1,155 men and women of the Framingham Heart Study, Rosito et al. examined the associations between pericardial, intrathoracic, and intra-abdominal (visceral) fat with cardiovascular disease risk factors and vascular calcification. In both men and women, the best predictor of intrathoracic and pericardial fat was intra-abdominal adipose tissue accumulation. Although intrathoracic and pericardial fat were associated with features of the metabolic syndrome (triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, hypertension, and impaired fasting glucose), adjustment for intra-abdominal fat eliminated these relationships. However, after adjusting for intra-abdominal fat, pericardial but not intrathoracic fat was associated with coronary calcification while intrathoracic but not pericardial fat was associated with abdominal aortic calcification. These results suggest that although intra-abdominal fat is a better correlate of a deteriorated metabolic risk profile, pericardial fat shows better associations with vascular calcification and may have local effects on the endothelium.