title: [Cut-off point of epicardial adipose tissue thickness for predicting metabolic syndrome in Venezuelan population].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define an echocardiographically-assessed cut-off point for epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness associated to metabolic syndrome (MS) components in Venezuelan subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two subjects aged 20-65 years diagnosed with MS according to International Diabetes Federation criteria and 45 sex- and age-matched controls were selected. Blood glucose and plasma lipids were tested; EAT thickness and left ventricular mass were measured by echocardiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant age and sex differences were found between the two groups. Body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher (P=.0001) in the MS group. This group showed significantly higher levels of fasting blood glucose (P=.0001), total cholesterol (P=.002), LDL-C (P=.007), non-HDL-C (P=.0001), triglycerides (P=.0001), Tg-HDL-C ratio (P=.0001), and lower HDL-C levels (P=.0001) as compared to the control group. EAT thickness (P=.0001) and left ventricular mass (P=.017) were significantly higher in the MS group. The ROC curve showed an AUC of 0.852 (P=.0001) with a power of the test of 0.99. A 5-mm EAT thickness showed a sensitivity of 84.62% (95%CI: 71.9-93.1) and a specificity of 71.11% (95%CI: 55.7-83.6) for predicting MS. The odds ratio of this population for experiencing MS due to an EAT ≥ 5 mm was 8.25 (95%CI: 3.15-21.56; P=.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An EAT value ≥ 5 mm has good sensitivity and specificity for predicting MS in the Venezuelan population.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Oriente, Núcleo Bolívar, Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela. Electronic address: marcoslimamedical@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Marcos M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lima-Martínez
authors.forename: Mariela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paoli
authors.forename: José H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Donis
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Odreman
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iacobellis
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D010496:Pericardium / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014687:Venezuela; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epicardial adipose tissue; Epicardial fat; Grasa epicárdica; Hispanics; Hispanos; Metabolic syndrome; Síndrome metabólico; Tejido adiposo epicárdico