Relationship Between Coronary Atheroma, Epicardial Adipose Tissue Inflammation, and Adipocyte Differentiation Across the Human Myocardial Bridge.

ABSTRACT: Background Inflammation in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may contribute to coronary atherosclerosis. Myocardial bridge is a congenital anomaly in which the left anterior descending coronary artery takes a "tunneled" course under a bridge of myocardium: while atherosclerosis develops in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery, the bridged portion is spared, highlighting the possibility that geographic separation from inflamed EAT is protective. We tested the hypothesis that inflammation in EAT was related to atherosclerosis by comparing EAT from proximal and bridge depots in individuals with myocardial bridge and varying degrees of atherosclerotic plaque. Methods and Results Maximal plaque burden was quantified by intravascular ultrasound, and inflammation was quantified by

SUBMITTER: McLaughlin T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8751937 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature