Prognostic utility of the pericoronary fat attenuation index in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Background: The etiology of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) remains poorly understood and no optimal management strategy has been established. Identification of features associated with poor outcomes may improve the prognosis of patients with TCM. We aimed to identify the predictors of poor prognosis in patients with TCM using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients with TCM who underwent CCTA during the acute disease phase. The pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI) of adipose tissue was obtained from CCTA images. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) were defined as all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, rehospitalization due to congestive heart failure, and TCM recurrence. The relationships between patient characteristics and CCTA findings were compared between patients with and without MACCE.Results: A total of 52 patients were included (10 men [19.2%]; mean age, 71 years). After a median follow-up of 23 months, MACCE had developed in 10 patients (19.2%). There were significant differences in clinical characteristics [including the three-vessel mean FAI (FAI-mean)] between patients with and without MACCE. Univariate Cox regression analyses showed that FAI-mean >= -68.94 Hounsfield units (cut-off value derived from receiver operating characteristic curve analysis) (hazard ratio [HR], 13.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.705-107.2; p = 0.014) and NT-proBNP (HR, 1.000; 95% CI, 1.000-1.000; p = 0.022) were significant predictors of MACCE. FAI-mean > -68.94 HU was significantly associated with MACCE (chi-squared statistic = 10.3, p = 0.001).Conclusion: In patients with TCM, a higher FAI-mean was significantly associated with poorer outcomes independent of the conventional risk factors.