Computed tomography pericoronary adipose tissue density predicts coronary allograft vasculopathy and adverse clinical outcomes after cardiac transplantation.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To assess pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) density on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) as a marker of inflammatory disease activity in coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV). METHODS AND RESULTS: PCAT density, lesion volumes, and total vessel volume-to-myocardial mass ratio (V/M) were retrospectively measured in 126 CCTAs from 94 heart transplant patients [mean age 49 (SD 14.5) years, 40% female] who underwent imaging between 2010 and 2021; age- and sex-matched controls; and patients with atherosclerosis. PCAT density was higher in transplant patients with CAV [n = 40; -73.0 HU (SD 9.3)] than without CAV [n = 86; -77.9 HU (SD 8.2)], and controls [n = 12; -86.2 HU (SD 5.4)], P < 0.01 for both. Unlike patients with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (n = 32), CAV lesions were predominantly non-calcified and comprised of mostly fibrous or fibrofatty tissue. V/M was lower in patients with CAV than without [32.4 mm3/g (SD 9.7) vs. 41.4 mm3/g (SD 12.3), P < 0.0001]. PCAT density and V/M improved the ability to predict CAV from area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.75-0.85 when added to donor age and donor hypertension status (P < 0.0001). PCAT density above -66 HU was associated with a greater incidence of all-cause mortality {odds ratio [OR] 18.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.25-99.6], P < 0.01} and the composite endpoint of death, CAV progression, acute rejection, and coronary revascularization [OR 7.47 (95% CI 1.8-31.6), P = 0.01] over 5.3 (SD 2.1) years. CONCLUSION: Heart transplant patients with CAV have higher PCAT density and lower V/M than those without. Increased PCAT density is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. These CCTA metrics could be useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of CAV severity.