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Increased Intermuscular Fat Linked to Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 21, 2025.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2025 -- Increased intermuscular fat is associated with coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) and adverse cardiovascular outcomes, according to a study published online Jan. 19 in the European Heart Journal.

Ana Carolina do A.H. Souza, M.D., Ph.D., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues followed 669 patients (median age, 63 years) undergoing evaluation for coronary artery disease during a median of six years for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The association of skeletal muscle (SM) quality with CMD as indicated by coronary flow reserve (CFR) and cardiovascular outcomes was examined.

The researchers observed a strong correlation for body mass index with subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and a moderate correlation with SM. Independent associations remained for decreased SM and increased IMAT with decreased CFR. Both lower CFR and higher IMAT were associated with increased MACE in adjusted analyses (hazard ratios, 1.78 per −1U CFR and 1.53 per +10 cm2 IMAT, respectively); higher SM and SAT were found to be protective (hazard ratios, 0.89 and 0.94 per +10 cm2, respectively). An independent 2 percent increased odds of CMD and a 7 percent increased risk for MACE were seen in association with every 1 percent increase in fatty muscle fraction.

"Compared to subcutaneous fat, fat stored in muscles may be contributing to inflammation and altered glucose metabolism leading to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome," lead author Viviany R. Taqueti, M.D., M.P.H., also from Harvard Medical School in Boston, said in a statement. "In turn, these chronic insults can cause damage to blood vessels, including those that supply the heart, and the heart muscle itself."

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry; one author holds a related patent.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted January 2025

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