Grasa epicárdica y su asociación con marcadores de aterosclerosis subclínica y otros factores de riesgo en pacientes con síndrome metabólico

Introduction: Epicardial fat has been shown to be strongly associated with several markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. However, few studies have been performed in patients with metabolic syndrome and none has been carried out in Hispanic patients. The purpose of our study was to determine the relationship between epicardial fat and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular risk factors in patients with metabolic syndrome.Methods: A total of 115 patients (76 women and 39 men, mean age 56.9 +/- 8.6 vs 56.7 +/- 9.4 years, respectively) with metabolic syndrome were studied. We included clinical (age, sex, smoking history, systolic and diastolic blood pressure), anthropometric (body mass index and waist circumference) and biochemical variables (fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein [Apo] B, Apo A-I and the ApoB/ApoA-I ratio). We also performed a transthoracic echocardiography and ultrasonographic carotid examination in all participants as well as coronary artery calcium score quantification in 79 patients.Results: Epicardial fat was significantly and independently associated with the presence of carotid intima-media thickness > 75th percentile (OR: 1.51; CI: 1.22-1.86; P =.000). Epicardial fat values were significantly higher in patients with carotid plaque (6.39 +/- 1.8 vs 5.14 +/- 2.4 mm, P =.007), an increase in coronary calcium score quartiles (P = .042) and a high ApoB/ApoA-I ratio in both men and women (P = .027 and P = .037, respectively).Conclusions: Epicardial fat was significantly and independently associated with several markers of subclinical atherosclerosis, as well as with the ApoB/ApoA-I ratio in patients with metabolic syndrome. (c) 2011 Elsevier Espana, S.L. and SEA. All rights reserved.