Echocardiographic association of epicardial fat thickness with aortic velocity propagation and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
ZHANG Hong1, DING Qin2, NING Ning2, LV Jiannan1, WU Xiaowei1
1.Department of Ultrasound Imaging, 2.Department of Endocrinology and Hematology, Characteristic Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin 300162, China
Abstract：Objective To find out whether the parameters of epicardial fat thickness (EFT)are associated with aortic velocity propagation (AVP) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods Forty-one cases of T2DM who were over 18 years old, left their coronary heart disease undiagnosed but were treated in the Department of Endocrinology and Hematology between November 2019 and June 2020 were selected as the T2DM group,while another 37 non-diabetic patients were enrolled as the control group. EFT and AVP of all these subjects were determined using the echocardiographic method and CIMT was calculated ultrasonographically.Results EFT [(8.41±1.62)mm] and CIMT[(0.93±0.21)mm] in the T2DM group was significantly higher than in the control group [(6.32±2.19)mm, (0.53±0.11)mm],while AVP[ (28.21±16.03)mm] was significantly lower[(58.12±17.49)mm].Correlation analysis showed that EFT was negatively correlated with AVP (r=－0.339, P=0.001), but positively with CIMT (r=0.415, P<0.001). AVP was negatively correlated with CIMT (r=－0.629, P<0.001). Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that CIMT was an independent predictor of EFT(β1=3.255, 95% CI:1.775-4.739, P=0.001) and AVP (β2=－30.868, 95% CI:－45.805-－15.932, P< 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that EFT 7.2 mm and CIMT 0.66 mm were effective cut-off points of subclinical atherosclerosis in diabetic patients, with a sensitivity of 75.8% and 92.5%, and a specificity of 71.1% and 78.2%, respectively.Conclusions The levels of EFT and CIMT are higher while that of AVP is lower in T2DM patients. EFT and AVP are significantly correlated with CIMT, respectively. EFT and CIMT can be used as reliable indicators for evaluation of subclinical atherosclerosis in T2DM patients.
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2021, Vol. 32 
