Epicardial fat tissue can predict subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in patients with erectile dysfunction

Abstract

Background

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an early form of atherosclerosis and subclinical myocardial dysfunction. Epicardial fat tissue (EFT) is associated with impaired left ventricular (LV) function, even in the absence of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between EFT and LV systolic function in patients with erectile ED by speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) method.

Methods

A total of 129 consecutive patients with ED were compared with 145 age- and sex-matched control subjects. ED was evaluated using the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire. Thickness of EFT was measured by TTE. Global LV longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) and global LV circumferential strain (LV-GCS) were measured by 2D-STE method.

Results

The EFT thickness was significantly higher in the patients with ED (p <.01). LV-GLS and LV-GCS were revealed to be more deterioration in the ED group compared to controls (−18.2 ± 2.7 vs. (−21.1 ± 3.9, p<.001; −19.5 ± 4.1 vs. −21.9 ± 3.9, p<.001, respectively). It has been shown that EFT thickness is an independent predictor of LV dysfunction.

Conclusions

These results indicate that EFT thickness is associated with subclinical LV systolic dysfunction in patients with ED.

Keywords:

• Erectile dysfunction
• epicardial fat tissue
• speckle-tracking echocardiography
• subclinical LV systolic dysfunction
• cardiovascular risk assessment

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge all the volunteers who accepted to participate in this study.

Author contributions

Doctors Eren, Kaya, Omar, Öcal and Özbey were involved in the conception and design, data collection, as well as analysis and interpretation of data. All coauthors have revised the manuscript critically and have approved it for submission.

Disclosure statement

All of the authors have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.