Epicardial Fat Thickness:A Marker of Vulnerability and Severity of Coronary Plaque Lesion -Assessment by Echocardiography and Cardiac Multidetector Computed Tomography

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a pathological process that is defined by the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques in epicardial arteries. This study aimed to find a correlation between severity and vulnerability of coronary plaques and thickness of epicardial fat (EFT) in patients had chest pain and a low to intermediate pretest probability for CAD, echocardiography and cardiac multidetector CT were conducted. Methods: 100 patients had chest discomfort were enrolled in this cross-sectional observation study at the Kobri El Kobba and Shibin-Elkom Military Hospitals. Results: EFT were significant (p-value < 0.05), positive correlation with age (r = 0.33) and Ca score (r = 0.34). High significantly (p-value < 0.001) Negative correlation with HDL (r = - 0.63). High significantly (p-value < 0.001) Positive correlation with EFV (r = 0.88), CHOL (r = 0.73), LDL (r = 0.72), TG (r = 0.63), LDL/HDL (r = 0.70), BMI (r = 0.62) SSS (r = 0.51) SIS (r = 0.5). EFV were significant (p-value < 0.05) Positive correlation with age (r = 0.25), Ca score (r = 0.21), SIS (r = 0.33) and SSS (r = 0.32). High significant (p-value < 0.001) Negative correlation with HDL (r = - 0.63). High significant (p-value < 0.001) Positive correlation with EFT (r = 0.88), CHOL (r = 0.66), LDL (r = 0.67), TG (r = 0.56), LDL/HDL (r = 0.64), BMI (r = 0.57). Conclusion: A significant association among CAD, EFT, and EFV. EFT and EFV are significantly increase in patients had significant CA stenosis.