BACKGROUND: There are conflicting theories regarding the accuracy of echocardiography for determining the value of epicardial fat thickness in cardiovascular risk assessment. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship. METHOD: A historical cohort study was conducted on 143 patients, 40 to 87 years old, admitted for coronary angiography. The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and measurement of epicardial fat thickness in parasternal long-axis view at end-systole for 3 cardiac cycles. Both procedures were performed within a week before performing coronary angiography. RESULTS: Epicardial fat thickness was significantly correlated with the existence and severity of coronary artery disease (P-value <0.001). There was also a trend toward lower high-density lipoprotein in males with thicker epicardial fat. CONCLUSION: Epicardial fat thickness equal to or more than 7 mm may identify an individual with higher probability of having coronary atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND: There are conflicting theories regarding the accuracy of echocardiography for determining the value of epicardial fat thickness in cardiovascular risk assessment. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship. METHOD: A historical cohort study was conducted on 143 patients, 40 to 87 years old, admitted for coronary angiography. The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and measurement of epicardial fat thickness in parasternal long-axis view at end-systole for 3 cardiac cycles. Both procedures were performed within a week before performing coronary angiography. RESULTS: Epicardial fat thickness was significantly correlated with the existence and severity of coronary artery disease (P-value <0.001). There was also a trend toward lower high-density lipoprotein in males with thicker epicardial fat. CONCLUSION: Epicardial fat thickness equal to or more than 7 mm may identify an individual with higher probability of having coronary atherosclerosis.
Authors: Andrew H Talman; Peter J Psaltis; James D Cameron; Ian T Meredith; Sujith K Seneviratne; Dennis T L Wong Journal: Cardiovasc Diagn Ther Date: 2014-12