Pericardial fat and its influence on cardiac diastolic function.

Background: Pericardial fat (PF) has been suggested to directly act on cardiomyocytes, leading to diastolic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a higher PF volume is associated with a lower diastolic function in healthy subjects.

Methods: 254 adults (40-70 years, BMI 18-35 kg/m, normal left ventricular ejection fraction), with (a)typical chest pain (otherwise healthy) from the cardiology outpatient clinic were retrospectively included in this study.