title: Epicardial adipose tissue thickness and its association with adiponectin in metabolic syndrome patients from Mérida, Venezuela.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness and plasma levels of adiponectin in Venezuelan patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (study group) and 27 controls were selected and tested for glycemia, lipids, and adiponectin. EAT thickness, ejection fraction, diastolic function, left ventricular mass (LVM), and left atrial volume (LAV) were determined by transthoracic echocardiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EAT thickness was greater in metabolic syndrome patients (5.69 ± 1.12 vs. 3.52 ± 0.80 mm; p = 0.0001), correlating positively with body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.661; p = 0.0001); waist circumference (WC) (r = 0.664; p = 0.0001); systolic (SBP) (r = 0.607; p = 0.0001), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.447; p = 0.0001); insulin (r = 0.505; p = 0.0001); Tg/HDL-C ratio (r = 0.447; p = 0.0001), non-HDL-C (r = 0.353; p = 0.007); LAV (r = 0.432; p = 0.001), and LVM (r = 0.469; p = 0.0001). EAT thickness correlated negatively with adiponectin (r = -0.499; p = 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant association exists between EAT thickness and both metabolic syndrome components and adiponectin concentration, a link that might be used as a biomarker for this disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Oriente, Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Marcos M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lima-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Research Institute, University Hospital of Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: López-Mendez
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Research Institute, University Hospital of Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Odreman
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Research Institute, University Hospital of Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: José H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Donis
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Mariela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paoli
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014687:Venezuela; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol