Association of epicardial adipose tissue thickness and inflammation parameters with CHA₂DS₂-VASc score in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Background

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet-to- lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been shown to be helpful in predicting adverse cardiovascular events. However, to date, in the literature, there have been no studies demonstrating the relationship between EAT, MPV, PLR, NLR, and thromboembolism risk in atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, we examined the relationship between EAT, MPV, PLR, NLR, and CHA₂DS₂-VASc score used for the evaluation of thromboembolism risk in patients with AF.

Methods

The study included 96 consecutive patients with AF and 52 age- and sex-matched control subjects. We calculated CHA₂DS₂-VASc risk score for each patient and measured baseline EAT thickness, MPV, PLR, NLR, left atrial volume index, and left ventricular ejection fraction.

Results

The group with high CHA₂DS₂-VASc score had higher EAT (7.2±1.5 vs 5.9±1.2 mm, P<0.001), MPV (9.1±1.1 vs 8.4±1.0 fL, P=0.004), PLR (152.3±28.4 vs 126.7±25.4, P=0.001), and NLR (4.0±1.6 vs 3.2±1.3, P<0.001) compared to group with low-intermediate CHA₂DS₂-VASc score. Moreover, CHA₂DS₂-VASc score was found to be positively correlated with EAT (r=0.623, P<0.001), MPV (r=0.350, P=0.004), PLR (r=0.398, P=0.001), and NLR (r=0.518, P<0.001).

Conclusion

Our study results demonstrated that EAT thickness, MPV, PLR, and NLR were associated with the thromboembolic risk exhibited by CHA₂DS₂-VASc score in patients with nonvalvular AF.

Keywords:

• atrial fibrillation
• epicardial adipose tissue
• platelet
• neutrophil
• mean platelet volume

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.