Judith Gronwald, Torben Lange, Sören J Backhaus, Bo E Beuthner, Ruben Evertz, Miriam Puls, Johannes T Kowallick, Karl Toischer, Gerd Hasenfuß, Andreas Schuster, Alexander Schulz
{"title":"Impact of epicardial adipose tissue on myocardial function and structure in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis.","authors":"Judith Gronwald, Torben Lange, Sören J Backhaus, Bo E Beuthner, Ruben Evertz, Miriam Puls, Johannes T Kowallick, Karl Toischer, Gerd Hasenfuß, Andreas Schuster, Alexander Schulz","doi":"10.1002/ehf2.15422","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is closely associated with the development of heart failure and adverse myocardial remodelling. In patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), increased EAT has been identified as a predictor of adverse outcomes; however, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to explore the effects of increased EAT volumes on myocardial remodelling and dysfunction in patients with severe AS.</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>One hundred thirty-seven patients with severe AS (median age 80 years, 62% male) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) prior to TAVR. Myocardial volumes and function as well as EAT volumes were quantified from CMR acquisitions. The cohort was dichotomised at the median EAT volume. Patients with increased EAT volumes above the median (≥46.5 mL/m<sup>2</sup>) showed impaired left atrial (LA) reservoir strain (Es) as a distinct functional feature compared with patients with lower EAT volumes (11.8% [7.6-16.7] vs. 15.0% [10.9-19.1], P = 0.011), while left ventricular (LV) morphology and function (all P ≥ 0.216), right atrial and ventricular morphology and function (all P ≥ 0.090), as well as tissue characteristics (all ≥ 0.229) were similar between both groups. In a subgroup analysis of the four types of severe AS, the difference was most prominent in patients with low ejection fraction high-gradient AS. In multivariable regression analyses, EAT was independently associated with impaired LA Es, irrespective of co-morbidities, ventricular function, tissue characteristics and functional characteristics of AS.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In patients with severe AS, increased EAT volume is independently associated with impaired LA function but not with other features of biventricular morphology, function or tissue composition. The incremental deterioration of LA function, in addition to the afterload imposed by AS in these patients, could increase vulnerability to heart failure and may require consideration as a therapeutic target beyond TAVR.</p>","PeriodicalId":11864,"journal":{"name":"ESC Heart Failure","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"ESC Heart Failure","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.15422","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Aims: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is closely associated with the development of heart failure and adverse myocardial remodelling. In patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), increased EAT has been identified as a predictor of adverse outcomes; however, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to explore the effects of increased EAT volumes on myocardial remodelling and dysfunction in patients with severe AS.
Methods and results: One hundred thirty-seven patients with severe AS (median age 80 years, 62% male) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) prior to TAVR. Myocardial volumes and function as well as EAT volumes were quantified from CMR acquisitions. The cohort was dichotomised at the median EAT volume. Patients with increased EAT volumes above the median (≥46.5 mL/m2) showed impaired left atrial (LA) reservoir strain (Es) as a distinct functional feature compared with patients with lower EAT volumes (11.8% [7.6-16.7] vs. 15.0% [10.9-19.1], P = 0.011), while left ventricular (LV) morphology and function (all P ≥ 0.216), right atrial and ventricular morphology and function (all P ≥ 0.090), as well as tissue characteristics (all ≥ 0.229) were similar between both groups. In a subgroup analysis of the four types of severe AS, the difference was most prominent in patients with low ejection fraction high-gradient AS. In multivariable regression analyses, EAT was independently associated with impaired LA Es, irrespective of co-morbidities, ventricular function, tissue characteristics and functional characteristics of AS.
Conclusions: In patients with severe AS, increased EAT volume is independently associated with impaired LA function but not with other features of biventricular morphology, function or tissue composition. The incremental deterioration of LA function, in addition to the afterload imposed by AS in these patients, could increase vulnerability to heart failure and may require consideration as a therapeutic target beyond TAVR.
期刊介绍:
ESC Heart Failure is the open access journal of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology dedicated to the advancement of knowledge in the field of heart failure. The journal aims to improve the understanding, prevention, investigation and treatment of heart failure. Molecular and cellular biology, pathology, physiology, electrophysiology, pharmacology, as well as the clinical, social and population sciences all form part of the discipline that is heart failure. Accordingly, submission of manuscripts on basic, translational, clinical and population sciences is invited. Original contributions on nursing, care of the elderly, primary care, health economics and other specialist fields related to heart failure are also welcome, as are case reports that highlight interesting aspects of heart failure care and treatment.