Background. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a visceral fat that fulfills two important functions: lipid-storage and secretion of adipokines with pro-inflammatory and pro-atherogenic properties. It has been suggested that EAT may affect the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and the clinical course of coronary artery disease (CAD). In patients with obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, the epicardial adipose tissue is enlarged. Little is known about the role of EAT in left ventricular dysfunction. Aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of insulin resistance to predict EAT thickness in patients with significant CAD and systolic dysfunction. Methods. We enrolled 114 subjects diagnosed with CAD by angiography. The majority underwent revascularization after an acute coronary syndrome. Patients were considered affected by significant left ventricular dysfunction when EF was
Sympathetic nervous dysregulation in the absence of systolic left ventricular dysfunction in a rat model of insulin resistance with hyperglycemia
