title: Relationship between epicardial fat measured by echocardiography and coronary atherosclerosis: a single-blind historical cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are conflicting theories regarding the accuracy of echocardiography for determining the value of epicardial fat thickness in cardiovascular risk assessment. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship.
  
  
  METHODS
  A historical cohort study was conducted on 143 patients, 40 to 87 years old, admitted for coronary angiography. The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and measurement of epicardial fat thickness in parasternal long-axis view at end-systole for 3 cardiac cycles. Both procedures were performed within a week before performing coronary angiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epicardial fat thickness was significantly correlated with the existence and severity of coronary artery disease (P-value <0.001). There was also a trend toward lower high-density lipoprotein in males with thicker epicardial fat.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epicardial fat thickness equal to or more than 7 mm may identify an individual with higher probability of having coronary atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Dr.Mr.Nabati@Gmail.com
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nabati
authors.forename: Naser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saffar
authors.forename: Jamshid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yazdani
authors.forename: Mohammd Sadegh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Parsaee
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method