Cardiopulmonary exercise responses in patients with non-ischemic heart failure and a mildly reduced ejection fraction.

The cardiopulmonary response to exercise in patients with heart failure exhibiting a mildly reduced ejection fraction (41% ≤ EF ≤ 49%) remains unclear. A total of 193 consecutive patients with heart failure (excluding those with coronary artery disease) who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) tests were examined. CPX variables were compared among patients with reduced, mildly reduced, and preserved EF.

Relationship between epicardial adipose tissue volume and coronary artery spasm.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is considered to play a critical role in vascular endothelial function. Coronary artery spasm has been postulated to be a causal factor in vascular endothelial abnormalities and atherosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between coronary artery spasm and EAT volume, total abdominal adipose tissue (AAT) area, and abdominal visceral adipose tissue (AVAT) area.

Clinical Characteristics of Nonobese Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome and Increased Epicardial Fat Volume.

Aim: Increased epicardial fat volume (EFV) is an independent risk factor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Although EFV increases with body mass index (BMI), some ACS patients have an increased EFV but normal BMI. We here investigated the clinical characteristics of nonobese ACS patients with an increased EFV.