Two hundred and sixty five consecutive acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patientswho underwent successful coronary stenting were studied. Epicardial fat thickness on the free wall of right ventricle was measured at end-diastole from the parasternal long-axis views of three cardiac cycles. 30 days follow-up was obtained in all patients and clinical outcomes were compared with epicardial fat thickness.
RESULTS:
Mean value of epicardial fat thickness was 5.36 mm (range 0.44 to 16.55 mm). Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were developed in 19 patients (7.2%) during 30 days; 2 cases of cardiac death, 11 of non fatal Q wavemyocardial infarction (QMI), 4 of revascularization and 2 of ischemic stroke. Incidence of occlusion by thrombi (4.5% vs. 21.2%, p=0.016), Gensini's score (44.52+/-31.06 vs. 61.00+/-30.68, p=0.027) and epicardial fat thickness (5.19+/-2.13 vs. 7.51+/-3.87 mm, p=0.018) were significantly higher in patients with MACE than those without MACE. Significant correlations were demonstrated between epicardial fat thickness and age (r=0.193, p=0.002), fibrinogen (r=0.145, p=0.022) and LDLcholesterol (r=0.136, p=0.027). Multivariate analysis showed that epicardial fat thickness (OR 1.479, 95% CI 1.183-1.848, p=0.001) was an independent predictor of 30 days MACE.