Epicardial fat, adipocytokines and arrhythmia

摘要

The epidemiologic impact of obesity and the rising evidence for obesity as an independent risk factor for both cardiovascular disease [1-4] and the development of paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation [5-7], as well as ventricular arrhythmias [8], have resulted in an increased interest in the mechanism through which epicardial fat exerts its effects. Given the close proximity of epicardial fat to the coronary arteries, epicardial neuronal plexus and cardiomyocytes, it has been suggested that mechanical, inflammatory and paracrine effects all have an effect on coronary atherosclerosis [9, 10], the regulation of myocardial function [11], and the incidence of atrial [12] and ventricular [8] arrhythmias. In rabbits fed a high-fat diet, increased nerve sprouting, sympathetic hyperinner-vation and Ica have been described.