Abstract:
Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) can often be triggered by an inflammatory substrate. Perivascular inflammation may be assessed nowadays using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) imaging. The new pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI HU) and the FAI Score have prognostic value for predicting future cardiovascular events. Our purpose was to investigate the correlation between pericoronary fat inflammation and the presence of AF among patients with coronary artery disease. Patients and methods: Eighty-one patients (mean age 64.75 ± 7.84 years) who underwent 128-slice CCTA were included in this study and divided into two groups: group 1 comprised thirty-six patients with documented AF and group 2 comprised forty-five patients without a known history of AF. Results: There were no significant differences in the absolute value of fat attenuation between the study groups (p > 0.05). However, the mean FAI Score was significantly higher in patients with AF (15.53 ± 10.29 vs. 11.09 ± 6.70, p < 0.05). Regional analysis of coronary inflammation indicated a higher level of this process, especially at the level of the left anterior descending artery (13.17 ± 7.91 in group 1 vs. 8.80 ± 4.75 in group 2, p = 0.008). Conclusions: Patients with AF present a higher level of perivascular inflammation, especially in the region of the left coronary circulation, and this seems to be associated with a higher risk of AF development.
摘要:
背景:心房颤动(AF)通常可由炎症底物触发。目前可以使用冠状动脉计算机断层扫描血管造影(CCTA)成像来评估血管周围炎症。新的冠状动脉脂肪衰减指数(FAIHU)和FAI评分对预测未来心血管事件具有预后价值。我们的目的是研究冠状动脉疾病患者冠状动脉周围脂肪炎症与房颤之间的相关性。患者和方法:本研究包括81例接受128层CCTA的患者(平均年龄64.75±7.84岁),并分为两组:第1组包括36例记录有AF的患者,第2组包括45例没有已知AF病史的患者。结果:各研究组间脂肪衰减绝对值差异无统计学意义(p>0.05)。然而,房颤患者的平均FAI评分明显较高(15.53±10.29vs.11.09±6.70,p<0.05)。冠状动脉炎症的区域分析表明这一过程的水平更高,特别是在左前降支动脉水平(第1组13.17±7.91vs.第2组8.80±4.75,p=0.008)。结论:房颤患者的血管周围炎症水平较高,尤其是在左冠状动脉循环区域,这似乎与房颤发展的风险较高有关。