Comparison of Epicardial Fat Volume by Computed Tomography in Black Versus White Patients With Acute Chest Pain

Disparities in the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) between races may be influenced by differences in the thoracic adipose tissue. We compared computed tomography (CT)-derived volumes of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), mediastinal adipose tissue (MAT), and peri-coronary fat thickness (PET) and correlations with CAD between black and white patients. This institutional review board-approved Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant study included 372 age- and gender-matched black versus white patients (186 black, 54 +/- 11 years, 50% men; 186 white, 54 +/- 11 years, 50% men) who underwent CT for chest pain evaluation. EAT, MAT, and PET were measured. The amount of coronary calcium was quantified as calcium score. CAD was defined as 50% coronary artery narrowing. EAT and MAT volumes were significantly lower in black than white patients (59 [twenty-fifth to seventy-fifth percentile 39 to 84] vs 97 [67 to 132] cm(3) and 44 [27 to 77] vs 87 [52 to 157] cm(3), for both p