title: An association study between epicardial fat thickness and cognitive impairment in the elderly.
abstract: The amount of fat surrounding the heart, called epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), is a marker of cardiometabolic risk and correlates with the quantity of visceral adipose tissue (VAT). The amount of VAT is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and with cognitive impairment. We aimed to evaluate the association between EAT thickness as a measure of VAT and cognitive function. In 71 elderly subjects (mean age 72.7 ± 7.1 yr) we measured EAT thickness through transthoracic echocardiography, assessed the metabolic profile through evaluation of biochemical parameters, and estimated the cognitive function via the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). We found that greater EAT thickness was associated with lower cognitive performance evaluated by MMSE (P < 0.01) independently of the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome or obesity. Lower MMSE results were also associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.01), elevated HOMA index (P < 0.01), and high BMI values (P < 0.01). The results of mediation analysis confirmed that the total effect of metabolic syndrome, HOMA, and BMI on MMSE is mainly explained by an indirect effect through EAT thickness. In conclusion, increased EAT thickness assessed by transthoracic echocardiography is associated with deficient results of psychometric tests assessing cognitive performance and may consistently foresee impairment of cognition in the elderly.
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzoccoli
authors.forename: Mariangela Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dagostino
authors.forename: Manlio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vinciguerra
authors.forename: Filomena
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciccone
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paroni
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seripa
authors.forename: Filomena
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Addante
authors.forename: Rosa Chiara
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Montella
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Cosmo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sera
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greco
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055442:Metabolome; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography