Epicardial Fat and Cardiovascular Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Mookadam Farouk, Goel Ramil, Alharthi Mohsen S., Jiamsripong Panupong, Cha Stephen
Primary Institution: Mayo Clinic
Hypothesis
Is there an association between echocardiographic epicardial fat and cardiac risk factors?
Conclusion
Epicardial fat greater than 5 mm is associated with cardiac abnormalities on echocardiography.
Supporting Evidence
- EAT thickness >5 mm was associated with lower ejection fraction.
- EAT thickness correlated with left ventricular mass.
- Patients with higher EAT thickness showed trends towards hyperglycemia and hypertension.
Takeaway
This study found that having too much fat around the heart can lead to heart problems. It's easy to check with an ultrasound.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study using echocardiographic measurements of epicardial fat in 97 patients.
Limitations
The study did not find significant associations for some cardiovascular risk factors despite trends.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was 66.44 years, with 60% being male.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001 for age difference, 0.024 for ejection fraction, 0.01 for left ventricular mass index.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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