title: Increased Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is suggested to play an important role in the progression of metabolic syndrome. We aimed to establish a simple method to measure EAT and examine the differences in EAT thickness according to the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus or obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 94 patients (42.6% type 2 diabetes mellitus, 53.2% obese, mean age 61±13) who underwent multidetector computed tomography were enrolled. Thickness of EAT was measured on the parasternal short and horizontal long axis view. Epicardial fat area (EFA) was measured at the level of left main coronary artery (LMCA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All EAT thicknesses were correlated with EFA at the LMCA level (r=0.235 to 0.613, all Ps<0.05), and EAT thickness in the left atrioventricular groove (LAVG) had the highest correlation coefficient (r=0.613). EFA, and EAT thicknesses in the LAVG and the left ventricular apex were higher in the group with type 2 diabetes mellitus than in the group without type 2 diabetes mellitus when adjusted only for body mass index. When adjusted only for type 2 diabetes mellitus, EFA, and EAT thicknesses in the LAVG and the right atrioventricular groove were higher in obese group than in nonobese group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, EAT thickness can be easily measured and represent EFA. EAT thickness, especially in LAVG, was higher in groups with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity independently. These findings implicate that EAT thickness may be a useful indicator for type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Do Kyeong
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyejin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jee-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon-Ah
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yookyung
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Adipose tissue; Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Obesity