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Epicardial Fat Thickness Correlates With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, Arterial Stiffness, and Cardiac Geometry in Children and Adolescents

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Abstract

To determine the association between epicardial fat thickness and carotid arterial stiffness, carotid intima-media thickness (CMIT), left atrial (LA) volume, and left-ventricular (LV) geometry parameters in obese children and adolescents compared with controls. A case-control study was performed in 96 children and adolescents (obese n = 66, controls n = 30) age 9–16 years old (38 female and 58 male, mean age 11.7 ± 2.8 years) undergoing transthoracic echocardiography and carotid artery ultrasound. Clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical determinations were also recorded. Epicardial fat thickness (2.76 ± 1.2 vs. 1.36 ± 0.7 mm, p < 0.001), LA volume (35.7 ± 13.2 vs. 28.9 ± 9.8 mL, p = 0.008), LV mass (118.3 ± 38.6 vs. 96.4 ± 35.4 mL, p = 0.008), CIMT (0.48 ± 0.07 vs. 0.44 ± 0.05 mm, p = 0.019), and local pulse wave velocity (LPWV; 3.7 ± 0.5 vs. 3.2 ± 0.4 m/seg, p = 0.007) were significantly increased in obese children and adolescents compared with controls. Epicardial fat showed a significant and positive correlation with LA volume, LV mass, and LPWV as well as a significant and independent association with increased CIMT (odds ratio (OR) = 3.19 [1.88–7.99], p = 0.005) in the study population. Epicardial fat thickness is linked to obesity, carotid subclinical atherosclerosis, and cardiac geometry parameters and might be a useful tool for the cardiovascular risk stratification in children and adolescents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiology Department, Hospital Manuel Fajardo, Havana, Cuba

    Julio Oscar Cabrera-Rego

  2. Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1400 NW 10th Ave, Dominion Tower suite 805-807, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Gianluca Iacobellis

  3. Hospital Manuel Fajardo, Havana, Cuba

    José Arcides Castillo-Herrera

  4. Echocardiography Department, National Institute of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, Havana, Cuba

    Juan Valiente-Mustelier & Julio C. Gandarilla-Sarmientos

  5. Pediatric Endocrinology Department, National Institute of Endocrinology, Havana, Cuba

    Silvia María Marín-Juliá & Juliette Navarrete-Cabrera

Authors
  1. Julio Oscar Cabrera-Rego
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  2. Gianluca Iacobellis
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  3. José Arcides Castillo-Herrera
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  4. Juan Valiente-Mustelier
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  5. Julio C. Gandarilla-Sarmientos
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  6. Silvia María Marín-Juliá
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  7. Juliette Navarrete-Cabrera
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Correspondence to Gianluca Iacobellis.

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Cabrera-Rego, J.O., Iacobellis, G., Castillo-Herrera, J.A. et al. Epicardial Fat Thickness Correlates With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, Arterial Stiffness, and Cardiac Geometry in Children and Adolescents. Pediatr Cardiol 35, 450–456 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-013-0799-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-013-0799-9

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