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Association of pericoronary adipose tissue with atrial fibrillation recurrence after ablation based on computed tomographic angiography

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Japanese Journal of Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Quantitative measurement of pericoronary adipose tissue volume (PCATV) and fat attenuation index (FAI) has mostly been used in the study of coronary artery related diseases but rarely in the relationship with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study was conducted to investigate the correlation of PCATV and FAI with the AF recurrence after ablation and the clinical significance.

Materials and methods

Patients with continuous AF who underwent radiofrequency ablation and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) were retrospectively enrolled. The PCATV, FAI, epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV) and EAT density (EATD) arround the three main branches of the coronary arteries (LAD, LCX, and RCA) were measured quantitatively with cardiac function software and analyzed.

Results

189 patients with continuous AF who underwent radiofrequency ablation for the first time were enrolled. After 12-month follow-up with a mean follow-up time of 10.93 ± 0.16 months, 47 (24.9%) patients were confirmed to have AF recurrence. The 3 V-FAI (− 81.17 ± 4.27 vs. − 83.31 ± 4.59 HU, P = 0.005), LCX-FAI (median − 77 vs. median − 81HU, P < 0.001), EATV (median 141.14vs. median 125.39 ml, P = 0.010), and EATVI (median 70.77 vs. 66.73 ml/m2, P = 0.008) were significantly increased in the recurrence group. EATVI (OR 1.043, 95% CI 1.020–1.066) and LCX-FAI (OR 1.254, 95% CI 1.145–1.374) were two significant independent risk factors for AF recurrence. In the comparison of ROC, the predictive value of LCX-FAI (cut-off value of >− 81.5 HU, area under the curve (AUC) of 0.722) was higher than that of EATVI (cut-off value > 81.07 ml/m2, AUC of 0.630).

Conclusion

EATVI and LCX-FAI were related to recurrence of AF after ablation and have important clinical value in predicting the AF recurrence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 West Heping Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, Hebei Province, China

    Guo-jing Ma, Fu-qian Guo, Xiao-wei Liu, Bulang Gao & Cai-Ying Li

  2. Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China

    Guo-jing Ma & Chen Chen

  3. The Third Hospital of Shijiazhuang City, Shijiazhuang, China

    Jie Hu

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  2. Fu-qian Guo
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Correspondence to Cai-Ying Li.

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This study was approved by the Ethic Committee of The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, and all data have been approved to be published by the journal.

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Ma, Gj., Guo, Fq., Hu, J. et al. Association of pericoronary adipose tissue with atrial fibrillation recurrence after ablation based on computed tomographic angiography. Jpn J Radiol 41, 955–964 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-023-01426-x

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