Researchers at the Kemerovo Research Institute in Russia have identified a strong association between the volume of excess fat accumulated around the heart and poorer outcomes following mitral valve repair surgery.
A key finding of the study was the identification of a precise threshold of 115 cm³, equivalent to approximately half a medium-sized cup of water, as a clear diagnostic benchmark before surgery. The finding addresses the absence of a globally standardised criterion for distinguishing between normal and excessive fat around the heart.
The clinical significance of the finding lies in evidence that exceeding this threshold doubles the risk of cardiac arrhythmias and increases the likelihood of stroke and coronary artery disease by 10 per cent. It may also directly hinder the heart’s recovery and favourable remodelling following surgery.
The study further demonstrated that this fat serves as an active and independent risk factor that can affect the heart muscle through both mechanical and inflammatory mechanisms, rather than simply being a secondary consequence of overall excess body weight. This could provide surgeons with an important tool for predicting patients’ recovery and tailoring medical and preventive care before and after surgery based on precise imaging measurements.
