Evaluation oF Epicardial Fat and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Obese Children

Abstract

Background:Epicardial fat has a role in cardiovascular diseases.Objectives:To assess epicardial fat and its relation with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome (MetS).Patients and Methods:The study included 60 obese adolescents and 25 control subjects. According to the presence or absence of MetS, obese subjects were divided into two subgroups. We measured weight, height, calculated Body Mass Index, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and biochemical parameters (fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, High sensitivity C-reactive protein, fasting insulin, a homeostasis model assessment index of insulin resistance. plus an echocardiographic examination with measurement of epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATT).Results:Left ventricular mass index measurements were significantly higher in MetS group than both non-MS and control groups. The MetS and non-MetS obese patients had significantly higher carotid IMT in comparison to the control group. Carotid IMT measurements were significantly higher in MetS group had than both non-MetS and control groups. Also, EATT was significantly increased in patients with MetS compared to control group. Among MetS obese group, EATT was positively correlated with body mass index-standard deviation score, waist circumference, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, insulin resistance, triglyceride levels, left ventricular thickness, left ventricular mass index and myocardial performance index. EATT was found to be the only predictor of carotid IMT.Conclusions:EATT is closely related to carotid IMT and early cardiac dysfunction in obese adolescents with MetS.

Helicobacter pylori can be related to carotid intima-media thickness, epicardial adipose tissue thickness and serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels

“…With increasing EAT-thickness proinfl ammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, angiotensin-II, plasma activator inhibitor and free fat acids increase and secretion of cardioprotective cytokines like adiponectin declines (8). A strong correlation between EAT and cIMT has been shown (37,38). The EAT thickness was found to be 0-13.6 mm in the normal population in autopsy series (39).…”

Left and right ventricular function by echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging, carotid intima-media thickness, and asymmetric dimethyl arginine levels in obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome

“…High carotid intima-media thickness measurement in children with metabolic syndrome was shown in studies. 3,30 Elshorbagy et al 31 identified a significant increase in carotid intima-media thickness in metabolic syndrome patients as compared to the non-metabolic syndrome obese and control groups. Hirata et al 32 demonstrated in a study, which included 1727 subjects, that an elevated number of metabolic syndrome components, with or without central obesity, was associated with higher intima-media thickness and, hypertension had the strongest association with higher intima-media thickness.…”

Perirenal and epicardial fat and their association with carotid intima-media thickness in children

“…Kim et al [37] reported independent associations between epicardial fat and pulse wave velocity in 65 obese Korean adolescents (15–17 years of age). Elshorbagy et al [38] reported that epicardial fat was independently associated with cIMT in subjects with obesity and metabolic syndrome in 60 obese children and adolescents (8–16 years of age) from Saudi Arabia. Similarly, Cabrera-Rego et al [39] and Akyol et al [40] described that epicardial fat was independently associated with cIMT in 66 obese children (9–16 years of age) from Cuba and 138 obese children (9–18 years of age) from Turkey, respectively.…”