title: Increased epicardial fat tissue is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a potential indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis. Epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is proposed as a new cardiometabolic risk factor.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between EFT and CIMT in patients with psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional and observational study; 65 patients with psoriasis and 50 age- and sex- matched control subjects were included. Data about echocardiographic EFT, CIMT, anthropometric measurements and metabolic profile were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EFT and CIMT were significantly increased (7.3 ± 0.5 vs. 6.5 ± 0.5 mm, P < 0.01; 0.74 ± 0.11 vs. 0.60 ± 0.07 mm, P < 0.01, respectively) in patients with psoriasis compared with the controls. EFT was significantly correlated with CIMT (r = 0.69, P < 0.01). In a multiple linear regression model in which EFT was independently associated with psoriasis (β = 0.45, P < 0.01), age (β = 0.33, P = 0.01), CIMT (β = 0.50, P < 0.01), body mass index (β = 0.25, P = 0.01), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (β = 0.32, P < 0.01) and duration of disease (β = 0.34, P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated that EFT and CIMT are increased in patients with psoriasis, and that echocardiographic EFT is closely correlated with CIMT in patients with psoriasis. The echocardiographic assessment of EFT may have the potential to be a simple marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk in patients with psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mustafa Kemal University School of Medicine, Hatay, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bulbul Sen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Atci
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Rifaioglu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ekiz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kartal
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buyukkaya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Karakas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buyukkaya
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Akcay
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sen
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein