title: Echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness is associated with carotid intima-media thickness in patients with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a potential indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is suggested as a new cardiometabolic risk factor. We investigated the association between EFT and CIMT in patients with MetS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with MetS were compared with 40 age- and sex-matched subjects without MetS in terms of echocardiographic EFT, CIMT, anthropometric measurements, and metabolic profile in this cross-sectional study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The waist circumference, total and LDL-cholesterol, fasting glucose, triglycerides, systolics and diastolic blood pressure levels, hs-CRP, and homeostasis model assessment index for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were significantly increased in patients with MetS. The EFT and CIMT were also increased significantly in patients with MetS compared to controls (7.2 ± 2 mm vs. 5.7 ± 1.9 mm; P = 0.001, 0.74 ± 0.1 mm vs. 0.59 ± 0.1 mm; P < 0.01, respectively). Echocardiographic EFT was the only independent predictor of CIMT in the multivariate analysis (standardized β coefficient = 0.74, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EFT is associated with increased CIMT in patients with MetS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Goztepe Medical Park Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. drcsengul@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Cihan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sengul
authors.forename: Cihan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cevik
authors.forename: Olcay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozveren
authors.forename: Vecih
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oduncu
authors.forename: Aysegul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sunbul
authors.forename: Taylan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akgun
authors.forename: Mehmet Mustafa
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Can
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Semiz
authors.forename: Ismet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dindar
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D004452:Echocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012307:Risk Factors