Epicardial adipose tissue thickness is not associated with adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing haemodialysis

Abstract

In non-haemodialysis (HD) patients, increased epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness was significantly associated with adverse cardiovascular (CV) events. This study was designed to investigate whether EAT thickness was a useful parameter in the prediction of adverse CV events in HD patients. In addition, we also evaluated the major correlates of EAT thickness in these patients. In 189 routine HD patients, we performed a comprehensive transthoracic echocardiographic examination with assessment of EAT thickness. The definition of CV events included CV death, non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease, and hospitalization for heart failure. The follow-up period for CV events was 2.5 ± 0.7 years. Thirty-one CV events were documented. The multivariable analysis demonstrated that older age, smoking status, the presence of diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease, and low albumin levels were independently correlated with adverse CV events. However, increased EAT thickness was not associated with adverse CV events (P = 0.631). Additionally, older age, female sex, low haemoglobin, and low early diastolic mitral annular velocity were correlated with high EAT thickness in the univariable analysis. In the multivariable analysis, older age and female sex were still correlated with high EAT thickness. In conclusion, high EAT thickness was associated with older age and female sex in the multivariable analysis in our HD patients. However, EAT thickness was not helpful in predicting adverse CV events in such patients. Further large-scale studies are necessary to verify this finding.

The Importance of the Assessment of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Scientific Research

“…The authors observed this in patients not undergoing hemodialysis. In turn, it was shown that increased EAT thickness is significantly associated with older age, female gender, low level of hemoglobin, and low early diastolic velocity of the mitral ring [ 74 ].…”

The Role of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Acute Coronary Syndromes, Post-Infarct Remodeling and Cardiac Regeneration

“…Nevertheless, the ability of echocardiographic EAT thickness to predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) is denied by some results [174,175], especially in patients undergoing hemodialysis [176]. Some works deny the existence of any interaction with GRACE score and TIMI score, which are used to estimate the likelihood of adverse cardiac events [156,177].…”

The Relationship of Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Cardiovascular Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease and Hemodialysis Patients

“…In the general population, there is a positive relationship between age and the amount of EAT consumed [ 81 ]. When a similar relationship was investigated in HD patients, it was discovered that the amount of EAT was also related to increasing age [ 82 ]. There is a redistribution of visceral fat stores with aging, which is thought to increase the amount of EAT.…”