Epicardial fat thickness obese patients an observational echocardiographic study

Obesity currently affects nearly one-third of the population in the industrialized world. Traditionally, anthropometric measures such as body mass index [BMI] or waist circumference have been used to quantify overall adiposity; however, regional fat depots may be of greater importance than overall adiposity. Several studies have highlighted pericardial fat and abdominal visceral adipose tissue [VAT] as unique, pathogenic fat depot. Recognize the relation of obesity to increase epicardial fat pad thickness in Iraqi patients. Epicardial fat thickness was measured in 62 consecutive subjects [28 women 45%, 34 men 55%] mean age of 47.77 years [SD 8.03], using routine transthoracic echocardiogram. Epicardial fat was identified as the echo-free space between the outer wall of the myocardium and the visceral layer of the pericardium, and its thickness was measured perpendicularly on the free wall of the right ventricle at end-systole. The results show progressive increase of epicardial fat with increasing BMI which was very significant statistically. High mean epicardial fat is significantly associate with increasing waist circumference. No difference in those below and above 45 years of age in mean epicardial fat and there is gender difference in epicardial fat, where males had more epicardial fat than females. There is increase in the epicardial fat pad thickness in overweight and obese [BMI >/= 25] patients if compared to normal persons epicardial fat increase with increasing waist circumference more likely in male obese and independent on age.

Predictors of outcome for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage in Iraqi stroke patients

Primary intracerebral hemorrhage [ICH] is one of the common vascular insults with a relatively high rate of morbidity and mortality and there are many factors which influence the outcome. The aim of this study is to determine potential early predictors of outcome within first six days of primary spontaneous supratentorial hemorrhage and to evaluate the influence of those various factors on the mortality and morbidity of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage [ICH]. 70 patients [48 men and 22 women] were admitted to Baghdad teaching hospital, for the period from January 2010 to January 2011. They were diagnosed with supratentorial hemorrhage by brain CT. Total Serum cholesterol, the vital signs and the size of hematoma were arranged for each patient at the time of admission, then a modified Rankin scale [mRS] was calculated at 6th day after the onset of this catastrophe. Of the 70 patients [48 men and 22 women] consecutively admitted with ICH, 24 [38%] were died in the hospital: 31.5% on the first and second days and 82.5% by the fourth, fifth and sixth day of the event. The mRS outcome results were as follow: 8 [12.9%] good outcome mRS = [2], 38 [62.9%] were dependent mRS=[3-5] and 24 [34.3%] were died mRS = [6]. High mortality and morbidity [high mRS scores value] were observed in patient with large hematoma size, low serum cholesterol, and high vital signs readings