Changes of epicardial fat thickness after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a prospective study

Epicardial Adipose Tissue: A Precise Biomarker for Cardiovascular Risk, Metabolic Diseases, and Target for Therapeutic Interventions

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is located between the heart muscle and visceral pericardium, where it has direct contact with coronary blood vessels. Elevated thickness of this tissue can induce local inflammation affecting the myocardium and the underlying coronary arteries, contributing to various cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Recent studies have identified EAT thickness as a simple and reliable biomarker for certain cardiovascular outcomes. Examples include the presence of atherosclerosis, incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation. Furthermore, EAT measurements can help to identify patients with a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Since the EAT thickness can be easily measured using echocardiography, such examinations could serve as a useful and cost-effective preventive tool for assessing cardiovascular health. This review also summarizes therapeutical interventions aimed at reducing EAT. Reducing EAT thickness has been shown to be possible through pharmacological, surgical, or lifestyle-change interventions. Pharmaceutical therapies, including thiazolidinediones, glucagon-like peptide 1-receptor agonists, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, and statins, have been shown to influence EAT thickness. Additionally, EAT thickness can also be managed more invasively through bariatric surgery, or noninvasively through lifestyle changes to diet and exercise routines.

Epicardial adipose tissue, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases: recent advances classified by research methodologies

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is located between the myocardium and visceral pericardium. The unique anatomy and physiology of the EAT determines its great potential in locally influencing adjacent tissues such as the myocardium and coronary arteries. Classified by research methodologies, this study reviews the latest research progress on the role of EAT in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), particularly in patients with metabolic disorders. Studies based on imaging techniques demonstrated that increased EAT amount in patients with metabolic disorders is associated with higher risk of CVDs and increased mortality. Then, in-depth profiling studies indicate that remodeled EAT may serve as a local mediator of the deleterious effects of cardiometabolic conditions and plays a crucial role in CVDs. Further, in vitro coculture studies provided preliminary evidence that the paracrine effect of remodeled EAT on adjacent cardiomyocytes can promote the occurrence and progression of CVDs. Considering the important role of EAT in CVDs, targeting EAT might be a potential strategy to reduce cardiovascular risks. Several interventions have been proved effective in reducing EAT amount. Our review provides valuable insights of the relationship between EAT, metabolic disorders, and CVDs, as well as an overview of the methodological constructs of EAT-related studies.

Epicardial Adipose Tissue Changes After Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a visceral fat depot located between the myocardium and visceral epicardium. Emerging evidence suggests that excessive EAT is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular conditions and other metabolic diseases. A literature search was conducted from the earliest studies to the 26th of November 2022 on PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane. All the studies evaluating changes in EAT, pericardial adipose tissue (PAT), or total cardiac fat loss before and after BS were included. From 623 articles, 35 were eventually included in the systematic review. Twenty-one studies showed a significant reduction of EAT after BS, and only one study showed a non-significant reduction (p = 0.2).

Targeting epicardial adipose tissue: A potential therapeutic strategy for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous syndrome with various comorbidities, multiple cardiac and extracardiac pathophysiologic abnormalities, and diverse phenotypic presentations. Since HFpEF is a heterogeneous disease with different phenotypes, individualized treatment is required. HFpEF with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a specific phenotype of HFpEF, with about 45%-50% of HFpEF patients suffering from T2DM. Systemic inflammation associated with dysregulated glucose metabolism is a critical pathological mechanism of HFpEF with T2DM, which is intimately related to the expansion and dysfunction (inflammation and hypermetabolic activity) of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). EAT is well established as a very active endocrine organ that can regulate the pathophysiological processes of HFpEF with T2DM through the paracrine and endocrine mechanisms. Therefore, suppressing abnormal EAT expansion may be a promising therapeutic strategy for HFpEF with T2DM. Although there is no treatment specifically for EAT, lifestyle management, bariatric surgery, and some pharmaceutical interventions (anti-cytokine drugs, statins, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors, metformin, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and especially sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors) have been shown to attenuate the inflammatory response or expansion of EAT. Importantly, these treatments may be beneficial in improving the clinical symptoms or prognosis of patients with HFpEF. Accordingly, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to validate the efficacy of current therapies. In addition, more novel and effective therapies targeting EAT are needed in the future.

The Impact of Bariatric Surgery on Cardiac Structure, and Systolic and Diastolic Function in Patients with Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The purpose of this study was to provide pooled data from all studies on the impact of bariatric surgery on cardiac structure, and systolic and diastolic function evaluated by either echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched. Almost all of cardiac left-side structural indices improved significantly after bariatric surgery. However, right-side structural indices did not change significantly. Left ventricular ejection fraction and most of the diastolic function indices improved significantly after the bariatric surgery. The subgroup analysis showed that the left ventricular mass index decreased more in long-term follow-up (≥ 12 months). In addition, subgroup analysis of studies based on surgery type did not reveal any difference in outcomes between gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy groups.

Epicardial adipose tissue, obesity and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation: an overview of pathophysiology and treatment methods

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is a chronic disease, which has significant health consequences and is a staggering burden to health care systems. Obesity can have harmful effects on the cardiovascular system, including heart failure, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and atrial fibrillation (AF). One of the possible substrates might be epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), which can be the link between AF and obesity. EAT is a fat deposit located between the myocardium and the visceral pericardium. Numerous studies have demonstrated that EAT plays a pivotal role in this relationship regarding atrial fibrillation.

AREAS COVERED

This review will focus on the role of obesity and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and examine the connection between these and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). The first part of this review will explain the pathophysiology of EAT and its association with the occurrence of AF. Secondly, we will review bariatric and metabolic surgery and its effects on EAT and AF.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

In this review, the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatments methods of AF are explained. Secondly the effects on EAT were elucidated. Due to the complex pathophysiological link between EAT, AF, and obesity, it is still uncertain which treatment strategy is superior.