Abstract
Objective. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), deposited around subepicardial coronary vessels, may contribute directly to perivascular inflammation and smooth muscle cell proliferation. This study assessed the relationship between EAT and in-stent restenosis. Methods. Four hundred and seven patients had received successful coronary intervention. EAT thickness was measured by echocardiography. Angiographic follow-up was obtained between 6 months and 2 years. Restenosis was defined as target lesion revascularization (TLR). EAT thickness of patients was compared by TLR controlling for additional well-known predictors of restenosis. The TLR-free survival analysis according to EAT thickness was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and the differences between groups were assessed by the log-rank test. Results. Median EAT thickness was significantly increased in patients undergoing TLR compared with those without restenosis (3.7 vs. 3.0 mm, p = 0.001). EAT thickness was one of the independent factors associated with restenosis (Odds ratio = 1.19, 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.33, p = 0.007). The TLR-free survival of patients with thick EAT was significantly worse than patients with thin EAT (log-rank p = 0.001). Conclusions. EAT thickness is related with restenosis and may provide additional information for future restenosis.
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Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.