Predictive value for coronary heart disease by epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima-media thickness

Abstract

Objective To explore the predictive value for coronary heart disease by epicardial adipose tissue(EAT) thickness and carotid intima-media thickness(IMT) measured with high-frequency ultrasound.Methods According to the results of coronary angiography, the cases were divided into the normal control group (29 patients),coronary artery disease group with single-vessel lesion (43 patients),coronary artery disease group with multi-vessels lesion (28 patients), respectively. EAT and IMT were measured by high-frequency ultrasound. Results The EAT in the three groups were (4.8 ± 1.3) mm, (7.6 ± 1.8) mm,(10.1±2.6) mm respectively, and the IMT were (0.8±0.1)mm,(1.0±0.2)mm,(1.1 ± 0.2)mmrespectively. In either coronary artery disease group with single-vessel lesion or multi-vessels lesion, the EAT and IMT were significantly higher than those in the normal control group ( P＜ 0.01 ). And the difference between groups of single-vessel lesion and multi-vessels lesion was also statistically significant (P＜ 0.01). The areas under receive operating characteristic(ROC) curve to predict coronary heart disease by EAT and IMT was 0.947 and 0.917, respectively, there was no significant difference between the two areas. For patient with coronary artery stenosis＞50%, the sensitivity and specificity of EAT＞6 mm were 90.1% and 86.2% ,respectively,the sensitivity and specificity of IMT＞0.85 mm were 87.3% and 82.8%,respectively. Conclusions EAT and IMT measured by high-frequency ultrasound can precisely predictcoronary heart disease. EAT can be a new predictor to diagnose coronary heart disease. Key words: Echocardiography;  Coronary disease;  Carotid arteries;  Epicardial adipose tissue;  Intimamedia thickness