The University of Tokyo · Medicine
Professor Koki Nakanishi's research lab specializes in cardiovascular imaging and the pathophysiology of structural heart disease, with a focus on the role of visceral adipose tissue—particularly epicardial adipose tissue (EAT)—in the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. The lab employs advanced imaging modalities such as multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTDE) to investigate biomarkers of subclinical organ damage, including left atrial enlargement, coronary flow reserve, and cerebral small vessel disease. A key research direction involves understanding how metabolic and renal dysfunction, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), interact with adipose tissue inflammation to accelerate cardiovascular and cerebrovascular pathology.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
This is the first study demonstrating that peri-atrial EAT volume estimated by MDCT excellently predicted the development of new-onset AF in patients with CAD, independent of LA enlargement.
This TTDE study demonstrated that CFR was a significant and independent determinant of long-term cardiovascular events, ACS events and HF in patients with coronary artery disease. A CFR greater than 2.0 was not suitable to predict a favorable long-term outcome, even in the absence of obstructive coronary narrowing.
Significant residual TR was observed in ≈25% patients supported with LVAD over 1 year and was associated with unfavorable outcome.
Background:Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is strongly associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), although the underlying pathophysiological mechanism remains unclear. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has recently been recognized as an important source of various pro-inflammatory cytokines causing coronary atherosclerosis. This study investigated the relationship between CKD and EAT volume in association with high-risk plaque.Methods and Results:The study included 275 patients with an estimated
Elevated night-time SBP is strongly associated with subclinical cerebrovascular disease. Night-time SBP by ABPM allows to identify individuals at higher risk of hypertensive brain injury.
In a predominantly elderly cohort, elevated nighttime HR was associated with WMHV, suggesting an independent role of HR in subclinical cerebrovascular disease.
Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, although the pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the relationship between CKD and left atrial (LA) volume and function in a sample of the general population without overt cardiac disease. Design and methods We examined 358 participants from the Cardiovascular Abnormalities and Brain Lesions study. The LA minimum volume index (LAVI<sub>min</sub>), LA maximum volume inde
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