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. 2024 Jan 13;24(1):46.
doi: 10.1186/s12872-023-03569-1.

Sex differences in the association between epicardial adipose tissue volume and left atrial volume index

Satoshi Yamaguchi  1   2 , Minetaka Maeda  3 , Kageyuki Oba  3 , Gulinu Maimaituxun  1 , Osamu Arasaki  3 , Shusuke Yagi  4 , Kenya Kusunose  5 , Takeshi Soeki  4 , Hirotsugu Yamada  4 , Daiju Fukuda  6 , Hiroaki Masuzaki  7 , Masataka Sata  4 , Michio Shimabukuro  8
Affiliations

Sex differences in the association between epicardial adipose tissue volume and left atrial volume index

Satoshi Yamaguchi et al. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. .

Abstract

Background: Sex disparities in the association between epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV) and cardiovascular disease have been reported. The sex-dependent effects of EATV on left atrial (LA) size have not been elucidated.

Methods: Consecutive 247 subjects (median 65 [interquartile range 57, 75] years; 67% of men) who underwent multi-detector computed tomography without significant coronary artery disease or moderate to severe valvular disease were divided into two groups: patients with sinus rhythm (SR) or atrial fibrillation (AF). Sex differences in the association between the EATV index (EATVI) (mL/m2) and LA volume index (LAVI) in 63 SR (28 men and 35 women) and 184 AF (137 men and 47 women) patients were evaluated using univariate and multivariate regression analyses.

Results: In overall that includes both men and women, the relationship between EATVI and LAVI was not significantly correlated for patients with SR and AF. The relationship between EATVI and LAVI differed between men and women in both SR and AF groups. In SR patients, there was a positive relationship between EATVI and LAVI in men, but not in women. In contrast, in patients with AF, a negative relationship was found between EATVI and LAVI in women, whereas no association was found in men.

Conclusions: We evaluated sex differences in the association between EATVI and LAVI in patients with either SR or AF, and found a positive relationship in men with SR and a negative relationship in women with AF. This is the first report to evaluate sex differences in the relationship between EATVI and LAVI, suggesting that EAT may play a role, at least in part, in sex differences in the etiology of AF.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Epicardial adipose tissue; Left atrial volume index; Sex difference.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

All authors declared no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of patient recruitment. MDCT: multi-detector row computed tomography; LAV: left atrial volume; EATV: epicardial adipose tissue volume. See the detail in the text
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Comparison of EATVI and LAVI between SR and AF in overall, men, and women. Values are presented as mean ± SD. P values were obtained by a two-tailed unpaired t-test. EATVI, epicardial adipose tissue volume index; SR, sinus rhythm; AF, atrial fibrillation; EATV, epicardial adipose tissue volume; LAVI, left atrial volume index
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Association between EATVI and LAVI in overall, SR and AF. EATVI, epicardial adipose tissue volume index; LAVI, left atrial volume index; SR, sinus rhythm; AF, atrial fibrillation. Univariate linear regression models showed the relationship between EATVI and LAVI in overall, SR and AF groups. The r and P-values are shown in men (blue circles and lines) and women (red circles and lines)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Sub-analysis for the association between EATVI and LAVI in all rhythm, SR and AF. The interaction between men and women for the association between EATVI and LAVI was evaluated using linear regression models for all rhythm, SR, and AF. EATVI, epicardial adipose tissue volume index; LAVI, left atrial volume index; SR, sinus rhythm; AF, atrial fibrillation
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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