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Epicardial fat thickness is associated with aortic intima‐media thickness in patients without clinical manifestation of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Author(s) -
Acele Armağan,
Baykan Ahmet O.,
Yüksel Kalkan Gülhan,
Çeliker Emel,
Gür Mustafa
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
echocardiography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1540-8175
pISSN - 0742-2822
DOI - 10.1111/echo.13600
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , intima media thickness , diastole , coronary atherosclerosis , epicardial fat , thoracic aorta , coronary artery disease , aorta , carotid arteries , adipose tissue , blood pressure
Background Although the relationship between epicardial fat thickness (EFTh) and coronary atherosclerosis is well established, this relation in the early periods of atherosclerosis has not been fully demonstrated. On the other hand, thoracic aortic intima‐media thickness (IMT) rather than carotid IMT was reported as an earlier marker of preclinical atherosclerosis. Objective We aimed to assess the relationship between thoracic aortic IMT and EFTh in patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination for different indications. Methods We included 104 patients (mean age 38±11.4 years), who underwent TEE for various indications. The patients were divided into two groups according to the median thoracic aortic IMT values (IMT normal group<10 mm and IMT abnormal group≥10 mm). EFTh was obtained using two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography on the right ventricular free wall during systole and diastole. Results The highest EFTh values (3.3±0.96 mm vs. 4.51±0.66 mm, P <.001) were observed in the abnormal aortic IMT group. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that aortic IMT was independently correlate with EFTh (β=0.423, P <.001). Moreover, EFTh was found to be associated with history of transient ischemic attack ( r =.403, P <.001) and abnormal IMT ( r =.643, P <.001) in bivariate analysis. Conclusion Epicardial fat thickness is independently related to the extent of subclinical thoracic aortic atherosclerosis. Increase in EFTh may be crucial marker for initial atherosclerosis.