Prediction of Coronary Artery Disease Severity by Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness

Predictive Value of Epicardial Fat Thickness for Disease Severity in Coronary Artery Disease Patients

is to test the hypotheses that epicardial adipose tissue can be a marker of severity of coronary artery disease in myocardial infarction patients

epicardial adipose tissue is defined as the adipose tissue between the visceral pericardium and the outer margin of the myocardium which can be considered an endocrine organ that secretes pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines including adiponectin.as investigators know, inflammatory response is an important factor in the coronary atherogenesis. Therefore,epicardial adipose tissue is likely to be connected with the severity of coronary artery disease.Recent studies showed that the thickness of the epicardial adipose tissue in patients with coronary artery disease was greater than that with normal coronary arteries.

epicardial adipose tissue will be assessed using transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance which allows for an accurate volumetric quantification of epicardial fat.

Inclusion Criteria

1. Normal thoracic shape
2. Sinus rhythm
3. without severe respiratory diseases

Exclusion Criteria:

1. contraindication for cardiac magnetic resonance.
2. Patients who previously underwent coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary angiography prior to admission
3. history of chronic kidney disease with glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min
4. pericardial and/or pleural effusion.