Positive influence of aging on the occurrence of fat replacement in the right ventricular myocardium determined by multislice-CT in subjects with atherosclerosis.

Purpose: We evaluated predictors of fat replacement (FR) in the right-ventricular-myocardium (RVM) determined by MSCT in atherosclerotics not receiving anti-arrhythmia drugs and evaluated the relationship between the presence of FR in the RVM and the occurrence of ventricular premature beats (VPB).

Materials And Methods: 120-consecutive-atherosclerotics (101-males, 11-85 years) not receiving anti-arrhythmia drugs for VPB, who underwent MSCT for evaluating atherosclerosis and Holter-ECG within one-month, were retrospectively analyzed for FR in the RVM and its relationship with age, body mass index (BMI), and occurrence of VPB.

Results: 31-subjects had FR in RVM (18-males; median 67 years), and 89 did not (53-males, median 56 years). Median age was significantly higher in subjects with FR in RVM (P<0.01). The median BMI was 23.0 in subjects with FR and 23.0 in those without (not significant). Average number of VPB by Holter-ECG was 1445 in 31 subjects with FR. Without FR, the average number of VPB was 995. The difference in the numbers of VPB was not significant (P=0.73). A logistic-regression-model using age, male sex and BMI indicated that age was associated with an increased incidence of FR in the RVM (relative risk=1.055, 95% CI 1.019-1.092, P<0.05).

Conclusions: Age but not BMI is significantly associated with the presence of FR in the RVM. Aging might have a positive influence on the occurrence of FR in the RVM as determined by MSCT in atherosclerotics, but FR in the RVM had no influence on the occurrence of VPB.