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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objective Epicardial adipose tissue is a metabolically active tissue that accumulates around the coronary arteries and is associated with presence of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). Background The aim of the study was to evaluate the association of echocardiographic epicardial fat with the presence and severity of CAD. Patients and methods The present study was conducted on 140 patients, with 59 male and 81 female patients, and their mean age was 58.19 ± 9.98 years. Patients were admitted for coronary angiography and were divided into two groups (group 1 included 30 patients with normal coronary arteries and group 2 included 110 patients with CAD). The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and measurement of epicardial fat thickness in parasternal long-axis view and short-axis view. These echocardiographic measurements were compared with angiographic findings. Results The epicardial fat thickness was significantly higher in patients with CAD (6.9 ± 1.5) compared with patients with normal coronary arteries (4.4 ± 0.8) (P < 0.001). Gensini score was significantly correlated with epicardial fat thickness (r = 0.6, P < 0.001). Epicardial fat thickness of greater than or equal to 5.2 mm had an 85% sensitivity and an 81% specificity (receiver operating characteristic area: 0.914, P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval: 0.86–0.96) for predicting CAD. Conclusion Epicardial fat thickness is significantly correlated with the presence and severity of CAD.

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