Comparison of the effects of surgical and natural menopause on epicardial fat thickness and γ-glutamyltransferase level

Visceral adiposity: A major mediator of the relationship between epicardial adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Epicardial adiposity has been positively associated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Few studies have examined the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and epicardial adiposity. Furthermore, whether this relationship was independent of VAT remains unexplored. Our purpose was to investigate the contribution of VAT in the relationships between CRF, physical activity (PA) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in asymptomatic women and men.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We examined the associations between EAT and VAT measured by magnetic resonance imaging, CRF measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and PA assessed using pedometers and a 3-day PA journal in 239 apparently healthy adults (43 % women). Participants were compared according to EAT tertiles and CRF level in both sexes. Participants with the highest EAT level presented more VAT (p < 0.001), lower CRF (p < 0.01), and a more deteriorated cardiometabolic health score (p < 0.01) than those with the lowest EAT level. CRF was negatively associated with EAT in both sexes (p < 0.01). No significant relationship was found with PA (p = NS). Stepwise multivariable regression analyses showed that VAT explained most of the variance in EAT in women and men. Mediation analyses confirmed that VAT was a mediator of the association between CRF and EAT in both sexes.

CONCLUSION

In women and men, VAT appears as a major mediator of the association between CRF and EAT thereby suggesting that managing VAT by improving CRF could help in the prevention of cardiometabolic disorders related to excess EAT.

Impact of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus on Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Myocardial Microcirculation by MRI in Postmenopausal Women

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) often occurs conjunctly with the menopausal transition in female patients. In addition, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has an unfavorable impact on the myocardium and coronary arteries under the influence of metabolic disorders.

PURPOSE

To investigate the impact of T2DM on EAT and myocardial microvascular function in postmenopausal women.

STUDY TYPE

Retrospective.

POPULATION

One-hundred sixty-one postmenopausal women divided into three groups: newly diagnosed (≤5 years) T2DM (n = 56, 58.6 ± 7.7 years), long-term (>5 years) T2DM (n = 57, 61.9 ± 7.9 years), and healthy controls (n = 48, 59.4 ± 7.4 years).

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE

3.0 T; balanced steady-state free precession and inversion recovery prepared echo-planar sequences.

ASSESSMENT

EAT volume was quantified by delineating the epicardial border and the visceral layer of pericardium on the short-axis cine stacks. Perfusion parameters including upslope, maximum signal intensity (MaxSI) and time to maximum signal intensity (TTM) were derived from the first-pass perfusion signal intensity-time curves.

STATISTICAL TESTS

One-way analysis of variance, Pearson's and Spearman correlation, and multivariable linear regression. Two-sided P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

EAT volume was significantly increased in diabetic postmenopausal women compared to the controls (48.4 ± 13.4 mL/m² [newly diagnosed T2DM] vs. 58.4 ± 17.3 mL/m² [long-term T2DM] vs. 35.8 ± 12.3 mL/m² [controls]). Regarding perfusion parameters, upslope and MaxSI were significantly reduced (2.6 ± 1.0 [newly diagnosed T2DM] vs. 2.1 ± 0.8 [long-term T2DM] vs. 3.6 ± 1.3 [controls]; and 21.4 ± 6.9 [newly diagnosed T2DM] vs. 18.7 ± 6.4 [long-term T2DM] vs. 28.4 ± 8.6 [controls]), whereas TTM was significantly increased in the T2DM groups compared to the control group (23.6 ± 8.7 [newly diagnosed T2DM] vs. 27.1 ± 9.4 [long-term T2DM] vs. 21.4 ± 6.0 [controls]). Multivariable analysis (adjusted coefficient of determination [R² ] = 0.489) showed that EAT volume (β = -0.610) and menopausal age (β = 0.433) were independently correlated with decreased perfusion upslope.

DATA CONCLUSION

Diabetic postmenopausal women had significantly higher EAT volume and more impaired microcirculation compared to the controls. Increased EAT volume and earlier menopausal age were independently associated with microvascular dysfunction in these patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 3.

Characterization of the inflammatory-metabolic phenotype of heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction: a hypothesis to explain influence of sex on the evolution and potential treatment of the disease

Accumulating evidence points to the existence of an inflammatory-metabolic phenotype of heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which is characterized by biomarkers of inflammation, an expanded epicardial adipose tissue mass, microvascular endothelial dysfunction, normal-to-mildly increased left ventricular volumes and systolic blood pressures, and possibly, altered activity of adipocyte-associated inflammatory mediators. A broad range of adipogenic metabolic and systemic inflammatory disorders - e.g. obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome as well as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis - can cause this phenotype, independent of the presence of large vessel coronary artery disease. Interestingly, when compared with men, women are both at greater risk of and may suffer greater cardiac consequences from these systemic inflammatory and metabolic disorders. Women show disproportionate increases in left ventricular filling pressures following increases in central blood volume and have greater arterial stiffness than men. Additionally, they are particularly predisposed to epicardial and intramyocardial fat expansion and imbalances in adipocyte-associated proinflammatory mediators. The hormonal interrelationships seen in inflammatory-metabolic phenotype may explain why mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and neprilysin inhibitors may be more effective in women than in men with HFpEF. Recognition of the inflammatory-metabolic phenotype may improve an understanding of the pathogenesis of HFpEF and enhance the ability to design clinical trials of interventions in this heterogeneous syndrome.

Association between endothelial dysfunction, epicardial fat and subclinical atherosclerosis during menopause

BACKGROUND

Menopausal transition is critical for the development of early, subclinical vascular damage. Multiple factors, such as atherosclerosis, increased epicardial fat, and endothelial dysfunction can play a role. Hence, the objective of this study was the comparison of epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima media thickness in order to establish the best predictor of carotid stiffness in middle-aged women with endothelial dysfunction.

METHODS

A total of 43 healthy women aged 40-59 years old with endothelial dysfunction previously demonstrated by flow mediated dilation were recruited to have anthropometric, biochemical, hormonal and ultrasound determinations of carotid intima media thickness and epicardial fat thickness.

RESULTS

Carotid arterial stiffness parameters (local pulse wave velocity [4.7±0.7 vs 4.8±0.5 vs 5.6±0.5m/s, respectively, p<0.001], pressure strain elastic modulus [55.2±13.4 vs 59.2±11.8 vs 81.9±15.6kPa, respectively, p<0.001], arterial stiffness index β [4.4±1.4 vs 5.0±1.1 vs 6.4±1.3, respectively, p<0.001]) and epicardial fat thickness (2.98±1.4 vs 3.28±1.9 vs 4.70±1.0mm, respectively, p=0.007) showed a significant and proportional increase in the group of late post-menopausal women when compared to early post-menopausal and pre-menopausal groups, respectively. Among body fat markers, epicardial fat was the strongest predictor of local pulse wave velocity, independent of age.

CONCLUSIONS

In menopausal women with endothelial dysfunction, menopausal transition is associated with increased carotid arterial stiffness and epicardial fat thickness, independent of age. Ultrasound measured epicardial fat was a better independent predictor of arterial stiffness than carotid intima media thickness in these women.

Cardiovascular Fat, Menopause, and Sex Hormones in Women: The SWAN Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study

CONTEXT

Cardiovascular risk increases in women after menopause. Mounting evidence demonstrates a role of cardiovascular fat (CF) in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease, but no research has examined CF in relation to sex hormones or menopausal status in women.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to determine the relationship between CF depots, menopausal status, and endogenous sex hormones.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs were used.

SETTING

The setting included the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Heart and Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 456 women (mean age, 50.75 y); 62% premenopausal/early perimenopausal, and 38% late peri-/postmenopausal.

INTERVENTION

Menopausal status, endogenous sex hormones measured simultaneously with CF volumes, and circulating estradiol available 4.80 years (median) before CF measures.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Volumes of CF (epicardial adipose tissue [EAT], paracardial adipose tissue [PAT], total heart adipose tissue [TAT = EAT + PAT], and aortic perivascular adipose tissue [PVAT]).

RESULTS

In final models, late peri-/postmenopausal women had 9.88% more EAT, 20.72% more PAT, and 11.69% more TAT volumes than pre-/early perimenopausal women (P < .05). PVAT was not associated with menopausal status. In final models, lower estradiol concentrations were associated with greater volumes of PAT and TAT (P < .05). Women with the greatest reduction in estradiol since baseline had greater volumes of PAT compared to women with the least reduction (P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Late peri-/postmenopausal women have greater volumes of heart fat compared with pre-/early perimenopausal women independent of age, obesity, and other covariates. Endogenous sex hormones are associated with CF. Perhaps CF plays a role in the higher risk of coronary heart disease reported in women after menopause.