title: Echocardiographic parameters of epicardial fat deposition and its relation to coronary artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epicardial fat has been associated to the presence of significant coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the association of lipomatous infiltration of the atrial septum and fat infiltration of the right ventricle remains uncertain. None of these parameters has been thoroughly studied in Hispanic patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between epicardial fat, lipomatous infiltration of the atrial septum and fat infiltration of the right ventricle with the presence of CAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and fifty Hispanic patients (86 women and 164 men, mean age 61.5 ± 8 vs 62 ± 10 respectively), undergoing their first invasive coronary angiography (ICA) were studied. The day after the ICA, parameters of cardiac fat deposition were evaluated using 2D-echocardiography. Clinical (age, sex, personal antecedents of smoking habit, hypertension and diabetes mellitus, as well as clinical presentation of CAD) and anthropometric (waist circumference and body mass index [BMI]) variables were also collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epicardial fat (OR 1.27 p = 0.009), as well as fat infiltration of the right ventricle (OR 2.94 p = 0.027), had a significant and independent association with the presence, but not the extent (p = 0.516) and clinical presentation (p = 0.153) of CAD. The extent of epicardial fat deposition showed a proportional and significant association (p = 0.001) with the presence of CAD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epicardial fat and fat infiltration of the right ventricle were both significant and independent factors associated to the presence of CAD, which was proportionally increased according to the extent of cardiac fat deposition.
authors.affiliation: National Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Institute, Havana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Juan Valiente
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Mustelier
authors.forename: Julio Oscar Cabrera
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Rego
authors.forename: Angela Gala
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Júlio César Gandarilla
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sarmiento
authors.forename: Beatriz Vega
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Riverón
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054087:Atrial Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015415:Biomarkers; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000208:ethnology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008068:Lipomatosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers