Relation between brown adipose tissue and measures of obesity and metabolic dysfunction in patients with cardiovascular disease

Purpose: To evaluate whether brown adipose tissue (BAT) is present in middle-aged patients with cardiovascular comorbidities and to quantify how BAT presence associates with obesity and metabolic dysfunction. Materials and Methods: Supraclavicular and subcutaneous adipose tissue fat-signal-fraction (FF) was determined with 1.5T water–fat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 50 patients with coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, or peripheral artery disease. The association between BAT presence, as measured by a higher FF difference between supraclavicular and subcutaneous adipose tissue, and obesity and metabolic dysfunction was quantified using multivariable linear regression. Results: Supraclavicular adipose tissue displays a lower FF of 82.6% (interquartile range [IQR] 78.8–84.3) compared to 90.2% (IQR 87.3–91.9) in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT, P < 0.0001). BAT presence was associated with less obesity and metabolic dysfunction. For example, 1 SD lower waist circumference (11.7 cm), 1 SD lower triglycerides (1.0 mmol/L), and absence of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes were associated with 1.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1; 2.0), 1.1% (95% CI 0.1; 2.0), 2.1% (95% CI 0.1; 4.1), and 4.1% (95% CI 0.1; 7.1) higher FF difference between supraclavicular adipose tissue and subcutaneous WAT, respectively. Conclusion: Supraclavicular adipose tissue has BAT characteristics in adult patients with clinical manifest cardiovascular disease and BAT presence is associated with less obesity and a more favorable metabolic profile. Level of Evidence: 2. Technical Efficacy: Stage 2. J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:497–504.