Visceral fat quantification in asymptomatic adults using abdominal CT: is it predictive of future cardiac events?

• Published in: Abdominal imaging 2015-01, Vol.40 (1), p.222-226
• Main Authors: Ryckman, Eva M., Summers, Ronald M., Liu, Jiamin, del Rio, Alejandro Munoz, Pickhardt, Perry J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cohort Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gastroenterology; Heart Diseases - diagnosis; Hepatology; Humans; Imaging; Intra-Abdominal Fat - diagnostic imaging; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Radiography, Abdominal - methods; Radiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods
• ISSN: 0942-8925; 2366-004X; 1432-0509; 2366-0058
• DOI: 10.1007/s00261-014-0192-z

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine if quantifying visceral adipose tissue (VAT) at CT in asymptomatic adults can predict the likelihood of future cardiac events. Methods Subcutaneous and visceral fat volumes were obtained from abdominal CT utilizing a validated semi-automated software tool in 663 asymptomatic adults (mean age 57.3 years, 379F/284M) undergoing colorectal screening. Patients were followed for subsequent cardiac events, defined as myocardial infarction or coronary intervention for a mean follow-up interval of 7.0 ± 1.4 years. Relevant clinical data including Framingham risk score (FRS) were also collected. Statistical analysis included logistic regression, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Welch and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Results Cardiac events were documented in 32 subjects (4.8%) an average 3.0 years after index CT. FRS was predictive of future cardiac events, signified by a higher score (mean score 11.9 vs. 7.4; p