Epicardial fat thickness and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue thickness has been considered to be a possible cardiovascular risk indicator in recent reports. Aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness (EFT) with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Materials and Methods: In this hospital based cross sectional observational study a total of 64 patients with T2DM (mean age 54.51±6.60 years and 75.0% male) and 76 age and sex-matched non-diabetic control (mean age 54.97±6.11years and 71.1% male) were evaluated. Echocardiographic EFT and ultrasonographic CIMT were measured in all subjects.Results: Patients with T2DM had significantly increased EFT and CIMT than those of the non-diabetic controls (6.15±0.99 mm versus 4.39±0.61 mm, P< 0.001 and 0.77±0.09 mm versus 0.51±0.05 mm, P< 0.001, respectively). EFT was correlated with CIMT (r = 0.724, P < 0.001), duration of diabetes (r = 0.723, P < 0.001) and fasting plasma glucose level (r = 0.542, P < 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that CIMT (β = 0.358, t = 3.658, P < 0.001) duration of diabetes (β = 0.324, t = 3.268, P = 0.001) and fasting plasma glucose level (β = 0.210, t = 3.302, P = 0.001) were found to be the independent predictors of EFT.Conclusion: The echocardiographic EFT was significantly higher in patients with T2DM; and it was well correlated with CIMT, duration of diabetes and fasting plasma glucose level as being the independent predictors of EFT.Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.7(6) 2016 1-5