Purpose: To examine whether asymptomatic diabetic patients have increase epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EAT) compared with non-diabetic patients, and whether this cardiometabolic risk factor is associated with coronary artery disease in the diabetic group.
Methods: This study included 369 consecutive asymptomatic consecutive patients referred for cardiac CT angiography (CCTA). Data was collected retrospectively and compared between diabetic (n=73) and non-diabetic (n=296) patients.
Results: Patients with diabetes had a significantly higher mean EAT thickness compared with non-diabetic patients (2.82±1.56mm vs. 2.07±0.99mm, p=0.001). Patients with CAD had significantly higher mean EAT thickness compared with patients without CAD (3.14±1.81mm vs. 2.13±1.05mm, p=0.005). EAT thickness was higher in patients with CAD versus patients without CAD among the diabetic group (3.65±1.96 vs. 2.55±1.31, respectively, p=0.009) and not among the non-diabetic group (2.37±1.29 vs. 2.05±0.97, respectively, p=0.227). EAT thickness independently predicted CAD in the diabetes group (OR =1.73 [1.11-2.68], p=0.014).
Conclusion: EAT thickness is directly proportional to diabetes status, and can be used as an independent risk factor predicting CAD in asymptomatic diabetic patients.
