title: Epicardial adipose tissue is associated with visceral fat, metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance in menopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epicardial adipose tissue has been associated with several obesity-related parameters and with insulin resistance. Echocardiographic assessment of this tissue is an easy and reliable marker of cardiometabolic risk. However, there are insufficient studies on the relationship between epicardial fat and insulin resistance during the postmenopausal period, when cardiovascular risk increases in women. The objective of this study was to examine the association between epicardial adipose tissue and visceral adipose tissue, waist circumference, body mass index, and insulin resistance in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study was conducted in 34 postmenopausal women with and without metabolic syndrome. All participants underwent a transthoracic echocardiogram and body composition analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive correlation was observed between epicardial fat and visceral adipose tissue, body mass index, and waist circumference. The values of these correlations of epicardial fat thickness overlying the aorta-right ventricle were r = 0.505 (P < .003), r = 0.545 (P < .001), and r = 0.515 (P < .003), respectively. Epicardial adipose tissue was higher in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome than in those without this syndrome (mean [standard deviation], 544.2 [122.9] vs 363.6 [162.3] mm(2); P = .03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epicardial fat thickness measured by echocardiography was associated with visceral adipose tissue and other obesity parameters. Epicardial adipose tissue was higher in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome. Therefore, echocardiographic assessment of epicardial fat may be a simple and reliable marker of cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fernández Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico. Electronic address: lbasurtoa@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Basurto Acevedo
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Nydia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Córdova Pérez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ana Laura
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Vázquez Martínez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Nayive
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tepach Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vega García
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rocha Cruz
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz Martínez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saucedo García
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zárate Treviño
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Eduardo Alberto
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: González Escudero
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Imagenología, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Degollado Córdova
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D008593:Menopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium; D055105:Waist Circumference
keywords: Cardiovascular risk factors; Echocardiography; Ecocardiografía; Epicardium; Factores de riesgo cardiovascular; Menopause; Menopausia; Metabolic syndrome; Síndrome metabólico; Tejido adiposo epicárdico