The relationship between epicardial adipose tissue and arterial stiffness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and arterial stiffness (AS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), considering cardiovascular risk factors and disease characteristics.Material and methods: A total of 84 RA patients were included in this cross-sectional study. EAT and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) were measured ultrasonographically while aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), the main AS parameter, was determined using an oscillometric device.Results: Mean duration of RA was 12±9.5 years and disease activity score was 4.3±1.4, as assessed by Disease Activity Score-28 using C-reactive protein (DAS-28 CRP). The correlation analysis displayed a significant positive correlation between cIMT, aPWV and EAT (r= 0.037, p<0.001; r= 0.338, p=0.002 and r= 0.317, p=0.003). When a cutoff value of aPWV ≥10 m/s was established, patients with increased aPWV had significantly higher body mass index (p=0.04), waist circumference (p=0.01), triglycerides (p=0.04), EAT (p<0.001), hypertension (p=0.03) and marginally C-reactive protein (CRP) (p=0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that hypertension (p=0.033), increased CRP (p=0.016) and EAT (p=0.005) are the only independent predictors for increased aPWV.Conclusions: Our study found that increased AS independently correlated with EAT in patients with RA. Although the evaluation of these two parameters awaits further evidence to be included in the risk algorithms for CVD prevention, their role in patients with inflammatory diseases may be even more significant than in the general population.

Increased Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness As a Sign of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Its Relationship with Disease Activity Indices

“…In our study, we did not observe any correlation between EATT and disease duration. Similar results were also found in other studies which reported that the progression of the disease does not result in a signi cant increase in EATT [31,44]. These results may be interpreted as disease activity, rather than disease duration, has a greater in uence on increasing the risk of cardiovascular events, even in the early stages of the disease.…”

Evaluation of Epicardial Fat Thickness, a New Indicator of the Cardiovascular Risk Factor, in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

“…A cross-sectional study conducted with a cohort of 34 female RA patients and 16 controls matched for age and body mass index (BMI) showed greater EAD thickness in female patients with RA. Another age-and sex-matched cross-sectional study, including 76 patients with RA and 50 controls, reported a greater EAD thickness in RA patients (26,27). Increased EAD thickness is associated with endothelial dysfunction in spondyloarthritis (28).…”

Thickness and Volume of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Relation to Stiffness and Elasticity of Aorta Assessed by Computed Tomography Angiography

“…Similar results were also obtained by Kim et al in a study in which EAT thickness was associated with arterial stiffness determined by pulse wave velocity [ 39 ]. EAT thickness was also correlated with arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis [ 40 ]. Furthermore, Argan et al associated EAT thickness with the risk of ascending aortic dilatation [ 41 ] and similar results were obtained in a study by Canga et al [ 42 ].…”