Does epicardial fat thickness correlate with severity and vulnerability of coronary plaques in patients with chest pain and a low to intermediate pretest probability for CAD?
Epicardial fat thickness and volume assessed by echocardiography and CT are significantly associated with coronary artery disease severity and adverse lipid profiles, suggesting their utility as markers of plaque vulnerability.
Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a pathological process that is defined by the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques in epicardial arteries. This study aimed to find a correlation between severity and vulnerability of coronary plaques and thickness of epicardial fat (EFT) in patients had chest pain and a low to intermediate pretest probability for CAD, echocardiography and cardiac multidetector CT were conducted. Methods: 100 patients had chest discomfort were enrolled in this cross-sectional observation study at the Kobri El Kobba and Shibin-Elkom Military Hospitals. Results: EFT were significant (p-value < 0.05), positive correlation with age (r = 0.33) and Ca score (r = 0.34). High significantly (p-value < 0.001) Negative correlation with HDL (r = - 0.63). High significantly (p-value < 0.001) Positive correlation with EFV (r = 0.88), CHOL (r = 0.73), LDL (r = 0.72), TG (r = 0.63), LDL/HDL (r = 0.70), BMI (r = 0.62) SSS (r = 0.51) SIS (r = 0.5). EFV were significant (p-value < 0.05) Positive correlation with age (r = 0.25), Ca score (r = 0.21), SIS (r = 0.33) and SSS (r = 0.32). High significant (p-value < 0.001) Negative correlation with HDL (r = - 0.63). High significant (p-value < 0.001) Positive correlation with EFT (r = 0.88), CHOL (r = 0.66), LDL (r = 0.67), TG (r = 0.56), LDL/HDL (r = 0.64), BMI (r = 0.57). Conclusion: A significant association among CAD, EFT, and EFV. EFT and EFV are significantly increase in patients had significant CA stenosis.
Mohamed et al. (Sat,) studied this question.