title: The Relationship between GRACE Score and Epicardial Fat Thickness in non-STEMI Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  GRACE risk score (GS) is a scoring system which has a prognostic significance in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (non-STEMI).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to determine whether end-systolic or end-diastolic epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is more closely associated with high-risk non-STEMI patients according to the GS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 207 patients who had non-STEMI beginning from October 2012 to February 2013, and 162 of them were included in the study (115 males, mean age: 66.6 ± 12.8 years). End-systolic and end-diastolic EFTs were measured with echocardiographic methods. Patients with high in-hospital GS were categorized as the H-GS group (in hospital GS > 140), while other patients were categorized as the low-to-moderate risk group (LM-GS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Systolic and diastolic blood pressures of H-GS patients were lower than those of LM-GS patients, and the average heart rate was higher in this group. End-systolic EFT and end-diastolic EFT were significantly higher in the H-GS group. The echocardiographic assessment of right and left ventricles showed significantly decreased ejection fraction in both ventricles in the H-GS group. The highest correlation was found between GS and end-diastolic EFT (r = 0.438).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  End-systolic and end-diastolic EFTs were found to be increased in the H-GS group. However, end-diastolic EFT and GS had better correlation than end-systolic EFT and GS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Şifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilker
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gul
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Şifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zungur
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ahi Evren Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turquia.
authors.forename: Ahmet Cagri
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Aykan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey.
authors.forename: Teyyar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gokdeniz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ahi Evren Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turquia.
authors.forename: Ezgi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalaycioğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ahi Evren Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turquia.
authors.forename: Turhan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.affiliation: Erzurum Region Education and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turquia.
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hatem
authors.affiliation: Samsun Education and Research Hospital, Samsun, Turquia.
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boyaci
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013318:Stroke Volume; D014463:Ultrasonography