The relation between echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness and mitral annular calcification

Background: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is associated with several cardiovascular disorders including coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, heart failure, ischemic stroke and increased mortality. Epicardial fat thickness (EFT) has strong correlation with obesity, CAD, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerosis. There are strong similarities between EFT and MAC from the aspect of risk factors and pathogenesis. Objective: In this study we aimed to investigate the EFT in patients with MAC. Methods: The study group consisted of 78 patients with MAC. An age, gender and body mass index matched control group consisted of 47 subjects who admitted to echocardiography laboratory due to suspicion of organic heart disease and eventually found to be free of MAC. We measured EFT in patients with MAC and control subjects. Results: EFT was significantly higher in patients with MAC than in control subjects (5.7 +/- 0.9 vs. 4.4 +/- 0.6 mm respectively; P<0.001). Correlation analysis indicated that EFT was positively correlated with presence of MAC (p<0.001, r=0.597). Conclusion: We showed that EFT was significantly elevated in patients with MAC and it was positively correlated with MAC.