MirnawatiMappiare, Abdul Hakim Alkatiri, Peter Kabo
Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia

Abstract
Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a visceral adipose tissue surrounding the heart. Correlation of EAT with coronary artery disease (CAD) in Indonesia is unknown. To address this issue, we evaluate the capacity of EAT thickness measured by transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) to predict the severity of coronary lesion.
Methods: In this cross sectional study conducted in Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital, Makassar, Indonesia, 127 stable CAD patients were enrolled. EAT was identified as an echo-lucent area on the free wall of the right ventricle of the two-dimensional TTE at end diastole in the parasternal long-axis view. Coronary angiograms were analyzed for severity of CAD using modified Gensini score. Accordingly, we classified the study population into two angiographic groups: patients with non-severe CAD (score ≤13; n=73) and severe CAD (score >13; n=54).
Results: There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to body mass index and waist circumference (p=0,562 and 0,659, respectively). There was a positive linear relationship between EAT thickness and modified Gensini score for the entire subjects (R2=21.4%). EAT thickness was significantly greater in patients with severe CAD than in those with non-severe CAD (8,4±2,1 mm vs6,1±2.5 mm, p<0,001). EAT thickness of >7,0 mm had 79,6% sensitivity and 71,2% specificity (ROC area of 0,812, p<0,001)for predicting severe CAD.
Conclusion: Our results could help identify severe CAD by readily available and relatively inexpensive TTE, thereby indicating whether early invasive coronary angiography and timely interventions should be performed.
Keywords: epicardial adipose tissue, echocardiography, coronary artery disease, Indonesia.