| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Turku PET Centre (M.K., H.-R.L., A.V., J.K., P.N., P.I.) and Departments of Clinical Physiology (J.P.P.), Radiology (M.K., R.P.), and Medicine (P.N., P.I.), University of Turku, FIN-20521, Turku, Finland; and PET Centre (E.F., P.I.), Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR National Research Council, and Department of Internal Medicine (E.F.), University of Pisa School of Medicine, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Patricia Iozzo, M.D., Ph.D., Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, P.O. Box 52, FIN-20521, Turku, Finland. E-mail: patricia.iozzo{at}ifc.cnr.it.
Context and Objective: Ectopic fat accumulation within and around the myocardial wall has been implicated in the pathogenesis of heart disease in obesity. We evaluated myocardial and epicardial fat, left ventricular (LV) function, and metabolic risk factors in nine (five lean, four moderately obese) men.
Methods: Myocardial fat percent was quantified in the septum by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Reproducibility was assessed by triplicate systolic and diastolic measurements. LV parameters and epicardial fat were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. Waist-to-hip ratio and liver enzymes (alanine transaminase) were used as surrogate markers of visceral and liver fat contents.
Results: Myocardial fat (2.1 ± 0.5 vs. 0.8 ± 0.1, P = 0.03) and epicardial fat (120 ± 33 vs. 55 ± 12 g, P = 0.08) were higher in obese than lean subjects. Individuals with above-median alanine transaminase values had a 4-fold elevation in myocardial fat. The coefficient of variation of repeated myocardial fat percent determinations was 17 ± 3 and 23 ± 3% in systole and diastole, respectively. Myocardial fat was correlated with free fatty acid (FFA) levels (r = 0.76; P = 0.017), epicardial fat (r = 0.69; P = 0.042), and waist-to-hip ratio (r = 0.70; P = 0.035), and it showed a tendency to associate positively with LV work. Epicardial fat was associated with peripheral vascular resistance (positively) and the cardiac index (negatively). FFA levels were significantly correlated with LV mass (r = 0.72; P = 0.030) and forward work (r = 0.74; P = 0.023).
Conclusions/Interpretation: The accumulation of triglyceride in and around the myocardium of moderately obese individuals is significant, and it is related to FFA exposure, generalized ectopic fat excess, and peripheral vascular resistance. These changes precede LV overload and hypertrophy.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  S. Hammer, R. W. van der Meer, H. J. Lamb, H. H. de Boer, J. J. Bax, A. de Roos, J. A. Romijn, and J. W. A. Smit Short-term flexibility of myocardial triglycerides and diastolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, September 1, 2008; 295(3): E714 - E718. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. K. Das, W. S. Chu, A. K. Mondal, N. K. Sharma, P. A. Kern, N. Rasouli, and S. C. Elbein Effect of pioglitazone treatment on endoplasmic reticulum stress response in human adipose and in palmitate-induced stress in human liver and adipose cell lines Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, August 1, 2008; 295(2): E393 - E400. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Harmancey, C. R. Wilson, and H. Taegtmeyer Adaptation and Maladaptation of the Heart in Obesity Hypertension, August 1, 2008; 52(2): 181 - 187. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. A. Rosito, J. M. Massaro, U. Hoffmann, F. L. Ruberg, A. A. Mahabadi, R. S. Vasan, C. J. O'Donnell, and C. S. Fox Pericardial Fat, Visceral Abdominal Fat, Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors, and Vascular Calcification in a Community-Based Sample: The Framingham Heart Study Circulation, February 5, 2008; 117(5): 605 - 613. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Hammer, R. W. van der Meer, H. J. Lamb, M. Schar, A. de Roos, J. W. A. Smit, and J. A. Romijn Progressive Caloric Restriction Induces Dose-Dependent Changes in Myocardial Triglyceride Content and Diastolic Function in Healthy Men J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2008; 93(2): 497 - 503. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. W. van der Meer, S. Hammer, J. W.A. Smit, M. Frolich, J. J. Bax, M. Diamant, L. J. Rijzewijk, A. de Roos, J. A. Romijn, and H. J. Lamb Short-Term Caloric Restriction Induces Accumulation of Myocardial Triglycerides and Decreases Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Healthy Subjects Diabetes, December 1, 2007; 56(12): 2849 - 2853. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Silaghi, V. Achard, O. Paulmyer-Lacroix, T. Scridon, V. Tassistro, I. Duncea, K. Clement, A. Dutour, and M. Grino Expression of adrenomedullin in human epicardial adipose tissue: role of coronary status Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, November 1, 2007; 293(5): E1443 - E1450. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. S. Szczepaniak, R. G. Victor, L. Orci, and R. H. Unger Forgotten but Not Gone: The Rediscovery of Fatty Heart, the Most Common Unrecognized Disease in America Circ. Res., October 12, 2007; 101(8): 759 - 767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. L. Ruberg Myocardial Lipid Accumulation in the Diabetic Heart Circulation, September 4, 2007; 116(10): 1110 - 1112. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. Perseghin, G. Ntali, F. De Cobelli, G. Lattuada, A. Esposito, E. Belloni, T. Canu, F. Costantino, F. Ragogna, P. Scifo, et al. Abnormal Left Ventricular Energy Metabolism in Obese Men With Preserved Systolic and Diastolic Functions Is Associated With Insulin Resistance Diabetes Care, June 1, 2007; 30(6): 1520 - 1526. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Endocrinology | Endocrine Reviews | J. Clin. End. & Metab. |
| Molecular Endocrinology | Recent Prog. Horm. Res. | All Endocrine Journals |
