Background: Epicardial fat increase has not yet a clear correlation with coronary artery disease (CAD). Aim: This study had as goal to demonstrate a relationship between an increase of epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and CAD. Materials & methods: In this observational study, we included 234 patients who underwent invasive coronary angiography. Before invasive coronary angiography, all patients underwent echocardiographic-2D for evaluation of EFT and they were divided into groups based on Gensini score and also on Syntax score. Results: EFT was significantly correlated to the presence and severity of CAD assessed by Gensini score with a cut-off value of 5.2 mm (sensitivity of 90.9%-specificity of 87.3%- area under the ROC curve = 92.1%). Conclusion: EFT increase (fat index ≥5.2 mm) evaluated by echocardiographic-2D could be considered as a risk factor for predicting CAD.
Keywords: coronary artery disease; echocardiographic-2D; epicardial fat thickness; risk factors.