Eur Heart J: Pathophysiological significance of internal adipose tissue in women with normal blood test scores

Central obesity is a major risk factor for normal heart failure (HFpEF), especially in women, but the mechanism is not yet clear.
a recent study published in Eur Heart J, an authoritative journal in the field of cardiovascular disease, the researchers hypothesically assumed that gender-specific differences in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) levels were associated with differences in the severity of blood flow in HFpEF patients in both men and women.
researchers performed abdominal computer fault scans (CT) and invased hemodynamic tests on 105 HFpEF patients (63 women) and 105 controls with matching age, gender and body mass index.
the area of visceral adipose tissue is quantified through CT.
, HFpEF women's VAT area increased by 34% (186±±112 cm2 vs. 139±±72 cm2, P=0.006), and there was no significant difference in the area of VAT for males with or without HFpEF (294±±158 vs. 252±92 cm2, P=0.1).
in men and women with HFpEF, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) increased significantly and reached a similar level during exercise.
the increase in VAT area was 33% higher PCWP during exercise than women in normal area (28% ±10 vs. 21±10mmHg, P=0.001), while male sports PCWP with or without additional VAT was similar (24±9 vs. 25±6, P=0.89).
in women, every 100 cm2 increase in VAT area is associated with a 4.0mmHg increase in PCWP (95% CI is 2.1-6.0mmHg;P-lt;0.0001), but there is no such association in men (interaction P=0.009).
data show that excessive VAT accumulation plays a unique and important role in the pathophysiological mechanisms of female HFpEF patients.
further research is needed to better understand the role and significance of visceral fat in HFpEF patients.
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