Epicardial fat thickness and biomarkers of inflammation in patients with stable coronary artery disease: correlation with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis

Aim. To study the relationship between the epicardial fat thickness (EFT), biomarkers of inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and various severity of coronary atherosclerosis.Material and methods. The study consisted of 89 patients (47 men and 42 women) with stable CAD at the age of 62,2±6,5 years, who assessed the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis according to angiography with the calculation of the Gensini Score (GS). We conducted an ultrasonic evaluation of the EFT. We determined the content of glucose, lipid fractions, apoproteins, pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines, C-reactive protein by a highly sensitive method (hsCRP).Results. In the total sample of patients, the median GS index was 13,5 (3,5; 43) points, the median EFT was 4,93 (3,95; 6,0) mm, the median hsCRP was 2,1 (1,02; 3,65) mg/l. There were no correlation relationships between the GS index and the body mass index, waist circumference, EFT, hsCRP, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in the general group of patients. In the course of linear regression analysis, an independent contribution of hsCRP >2,1 mg/l to the formation of the first two tertiles of a sample of GS values was established (0≤ GS ≤28, paired linear regression hsCRP at GS β=0,55, p=0,0221), whereas in patients with GS values from the third tertile (GS >28 points), the growth of this parameter had an independent association with an increase in the EFT (estimation of the coefficient of paired linear regression of the EFT on GS β=0,56, p=0,0015). The range of hsCRP changes did not affect the value of the β coefficient in paired linear regression models in patients with GS >28 points (n=29) and in the subgroup of patients with GS >28 and hsCRP >2,1 mg/l (n=18).Conclusion. The absence of an independent association between EFT and minor or moderate severity of atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary arteries (for GS ≤28 points) in patients with CAD, while an independent marker of GS index increase is higher than 2,1 mg/l. An independent contribution to the formation of a severe coronary atherosclerosis (with a GS value of >28 points) is equally made by thickening of EFT, and a moderately elevated level of hsCRP.