Evidence mapPaperPMID 41942865Full record

SynthesisBMC cardiovascular disorders2026

Difference of pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation between culprit and non-culprit lesions in acute coronary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Haotai Xie, Ming Hao, Haolei Huang, Songyuan Gao, Yan Zhang, Bo Zheng, Yanjun Gong

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Haotai Xie *Department of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
Ming Hao *Department of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
Haolei HuangDepartment of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
Songyuan GaoDepartment of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
Yan ZhangDepartment of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
Bo ZhengDepartment of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China. zhengbopatrick@163.com.
Yanjun GongDepartment of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China. gongyanjun111@163.com.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2021YFA1000200
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation, a non-invasive marker of coronary inflammation, predicts adverse cardiovascular events. However, the extent of localized inflammation at the culprit lesion site in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has not been systematically quantified. We aimed to meta-analyze the difference in PCAT attenuation between culprit and non-culprit lesions in patients with ACS.

methodsWe systematically searched PubMed and Embase for studies comparing PCAT attenuation between culprit and non-culprit lesions/vessels in ACS patients. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled mean difference (MD). Pre-specified subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed to explore heterogeneity.

resultsTwelve studies with 826 patients were included. Meta-analysis was performed in 11 studies comprising 12 cohorts (461 culprit/731 non-culprit lesions and 388 culprit/487 non-culprit vessels). PCAT attenuation was significantly higher around culprit sites compared to non-culprit sites (MD 4.95 HU, 95% CI: 2.62–7.27, p < 0.001), with substantial heterogeneity (I²=89%). Subgroup analysis revealed a significantly greater effect size when PCAT was measured at the perilesional level (MD 7.50 HU) versus the vessel level (MD 2.43 HU). Meta-regression identified the analysis lesion unit (p = 0.002) and ACS subtype (p = 0.003) as major sources of heterogeneity.

conclusionThis meta-analysis provides consistent evidence that culprit lesions in ACS are characterized by a measurable and highly localized increase in pericoronary inflammation. A perilesional measurement approach may better capture this focal inflammatory signal, highlighting the potential of PCAT attenuation for identifying culprit lesion in ACS.

Indexed as

Acute Coronary SyndromeAdipose TissueComputed Tomography AngiographyCoronary AngiographyCoronary VesselsAgedEpicardial Adipose TissueFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsRisk FactorsAcute coronary syndromeCoronary computed tomography angiographyCulprit lesionFat attenuation indexInflammationPericoronary adipose tissue

Identifiers

PMID41942865
PMCPMC13192040

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.