Maximal pericoronary adipose tissue thickness is associated with hypertension in nonobese patients with acute or chronic illness.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent studies have shown an association of epicardial fat thickness with diabetes and hypertension (HTN) in asymptomatic populations. However, there is lack of information as to whether there is similar association between pericoronary adipose tissue (PAT) and HTN in the patients who have acute or chronic illness.

METHODS: This study included 214 nonobese patients hospitalized with acute or chronic noncardiogenic illness. PAT thicknesses were measured from fat tissues surrounding left and right coronary arteries in enhanced, chest computed tomography scans, yielding the maximal PAT value from left and right coronary arteries was used for analysis. Baseline data from hypertensive (n = 81) and normotensive (n = 133) patients were collected and compared.

RESULTS: PAT is positively correlated with age ( r = 0.377, p <0.001), body mass index (BMI; r = 0.305, p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure ( r = 0.216, p = 0.001), and total cholesterol ( r = 0.200, p = 0.006). The hypertensive group was older (69.58 ± 11.69 years vs. 60.29 ± 14.98 years), and had higher PAT content (16.30 ± 5.37 mm vs. 13.06 ± 5.58 mm) and BMI (23.14 ± 3.32 kg/m2 vs. 20.96 ± 3.28 kg/m) than the normotensive group (all p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that age (odds ratio [OR], 2.193; p = 0.016), PAT thickness (OR, 1.065; p = 0.041), and BMI (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2 ; OR, 6.077; p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for HTN.

CONCLUSIONS: In nonobese patients with noncardiogenic acute or chronic illness, PAT thickness is independently correlated with HTN, age, and BMI.