Pericardial Fat Is Associated With the Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmia in Asian Patients

Background:Pericardial fat is correlated with the occurrence of atrial fibrillation or coronary atherosclerosis. However, the role of pericardial fat in ventricular arrhythmia remains unclear.Methods and Results:Patients who had undergone dual-source computed tomography and 24-h Holter ECG were retrospectively enrolled. Quantification of the volume of pericardial fat surrounding the ventricles was analyzed using threshold attenuation of dual-source CT. The volume of pericardial fat was significantly different among those without ventricular premature beats (VPBs) in 24 h (n=28), those with occasional VPBs (n=54) and those with frequent VPBs (n=34) (12.5±6.1 cm3vs. 14±8.9 cm3vs. 29.9±17.3 cm3, P