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Influence of EPICardial Adipose Tissue in HEART Diseases: EPICHEART Study

Association of the Volume and Proteome of Epicardial Adipose Tissue With Coronary Artery Disease, Left Atrial Remodelling and Atrial Fibrillation in Severe Aortic Stenosis Patients

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03280433
Acronym
EPICHEART
Enrollment
500
Registered
2017-09-12
Start date
2014-09-01
Completion date
2018-11-25
Last updated
2017-09-14

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Atrial Fibrillation, Coronary Arteriosclerosis, Coronary Artery Disease, Left Atrial Abnormality, Severe Aortic Stenosis

Keywords

Epicardial adipose tissue, Coronary artery disease, Atrial fibrillation, Severe aortic stenosis, Proteome, Mass spectrometry, Computed tomography

Brief summary

This translational study was designed to explore the association of the quantity and quality of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) with coronary artery disease (CAD), left atrial remodeling and postoperative atrial fibrillation in a high cardiovascular disease-risk population. The investigators expect to identify new biochemical factors and biomarkers in the crosstalk between the epicardial adipocytes, coronary plaques and atrial cardiomyocytes that are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and atrial fibrillation, respectively.

Detailed description

Background: EAT has emerged as a new independent, and, potentially, modifiable cardiovascular risk factor for CAD. EAT volume assessed by computed tomography (CT) was independently associated with the presence of coronary stenosis, coronary calcification and myocardial ischemia in cross-sectional studies, and, prospectively, with major adverse cardiovascular events. Most of these clinical studies were, however, derived from community-based patients with low-to intermediate-risk profile and the role of EAT in high-risk patients is currently unclear. Accumulation of EAT has been also associated with left atrial (LA) dilation, presence, chronicity, and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although there is evidence suggesting that EAT may be a major determinant of the LA vulnerable substrate of AF, the mechanisms in the causal pathway between the EAT and LA remodeling are not completely elucidated. Aims: The main aims are to investigate if the volume of the EAT on CT and EAT proteome assessed by SWATH-mass spectrometry are associated with extent, distribution and complexity of coronary stenosis and coronary artery calcification, left atrial strain and incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Methods: This a prospective study enrolling symptomatic severe aortic stenosis patients referred to aortic valve replacement. The protocol includes preoperative detailed clinical and nutritional evaluations, echocardiography, CT, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and invasive coronary angiography. During cardiac surgery, biopsies from the EAT, mediastinal and subcutaneous thoracic adipose tissues will be performed to undergo analysis of proteome using SWAT-mass spectrometry. Samples from the pericardial fluid, circulating and coronary sinus blood samples will be collected as well in order to find local and peripheral adipose tissue-derived biomarkers of the disease.

Interventions

OTHERAortic valve replacement

Sponsors

Universidade do Porto
CollaboratorOTHER
Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, E.P.E.
Lead SponsorOTHER_GOV

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* symptomatic severe aortic stenosis patients (defined as aortic valve area of \< 1 cm2 or 0.6 cm2/m2 by transthoracic echocardiography) referred to aortic valve replacement.

Exclusion criteria

* diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome in the last 3 months. * prior history of persistent or permanent atrial or flutter fibrillation. * coexisting moderate to severe aortic valve regurgitation or moderate to severe mitral valve disease, bicuspid aortic valve. * left ventricular dilatation \[end-diastolic volume index \>75 mL/m²\]. * left ventricular ejection fraction \<55%. * chronic renal failure stage 3 to 5 defined as glomerular filtration rate GFR estimated by Cockcroft-Gault formula adjusted for body surface area \< 30 mL/min/1.73m². * moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease defined as forced expiratory volume in one second \<50% according to the 2011 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease guidelines. * active malignancy (i.e. With no evidence of recurrence and no longer receiving active treatment).

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Coronary artery disease according to the presence of coronary stenosis and/or calcificationBaselinePrevalent coronary artery stenosis and coronary calcification
Left atrial remodelling by transthoracic echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging6-month following aortic valve replacementChange in left atrial strain and volumes
Frailty syndrome according to Fried et al. scale6-month following aortic valve replacementChange in frailty syndrome classification
New onset atrial fibrillationIntra-hospital (i.e. from surgery until hospital discharge which means 7 days on average)Incidence of atrial fibrillation after aortic valve replacement

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Left ventricular hypertrophy by transthoracic echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging6-month following aortic valve replacementRegression of left ventricular mass after aortic valve replacement
Right ventricular structure and function by transthoracic echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging6-month following aortic valve replacementChanges in right ventricular structure and function after aortic valve replacement

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mortality3- to 5-year after aortic valve replacementIncidence of all-cause death after aortic valve replacement

Countries

Portugal

Contacts

Primary ContactJennifer Mancio, MD, PhD candidate
jennifer.mancio@cardiov.ox.ac.uk00351961529516
Backup ContactNuno Bettencourt, MD, PhD
bettencourt.n@gmail.com00351934258281

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 25, 2026