scholarly journals Increased Epicardial Fat Thickness Correlates with Aortic Stiffness and N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 220-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Altun ◽  
Yasemin Unal ◽  
Ozcan Basaran ◽  
Fatih Akin ◽  
Gulser Karadaban Emir ◽  
...  

Epicardial fat, a metabolically active tissue, has emerged as a risk factor and active player in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. We investigated epicardial fat thickness in patients who had sustained an acute ischemic stroke, and we evaluated the relationship of epicardial fat thickness with other prognostic factors. We enrolled 61 consecutive patients (age, ≥18 yr) who had sustained a first acute ischemic stroke and had been admitted to our hospital within 24 hours of the onset of stroke symptoms. The control group comprised 82 consecutive sex- and age-matched patients free of past or current stroke who had been admitted to our cardiology clinics. Blood samples were taken for measurement of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels at admission. Aortic stiffness indices and epicardial fat thickness were measured by means of transthoracic echocardiography within the first 48 hours. In comparison with the control group, the patients with acute ischemic stroke had significantly higher epicardial fat thickness (4.8 ± 0.9 vs 3.8 ± 0.7 mm; P <0.001), lower aortic distensibility (2.5 ± 0.8 vs 3.4 ± 0.9 cm2·dyn−1; P <0.001) and lower aortic strain (5.5% ± 1.9% vs 6.4% ± 1.8%; P=0.003). We found a significant association between epicardial fat thickness, NT-proBNP levels, and arterial dysfunction in patients who had sustained acute ischemic stroke. Increased epicardial fat thickness might be a novel risk factor and might enable evaluation of subclinical target-organ damage in these patients.

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Hyung Lee ◽  
Meyung-Kug Kim ◽  
Bong-Goo Yoo

Background/Objectives: Detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) is important for diagnosis of cardioembolic stroke. Few studies that cardioembolic stroke relate to some biomarkers such as high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), free fatty acid (FFA), pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) and D-dimer have been reported. FFAs are major components of epicardial fat. Increased epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is known to be associated with the presence of AF. The object of this study is to find the useful markers to distinguish stroke with AF in acute ischemic stroke. Design/Method: Total 214 consecutive patients (mean age, 66.8±12.3 years; 39.7% women; 16.4% AF group) with acute ischemic stroke within 72 hours of onset were retrospectively enrolled. We analyzed the EFT and the several biomarkers between stroke with and without AF. Results: Age, heart rate, FFA, pro-BNP, hs-CRP, HDL and the frequency of woman were significantly higher in AF group (p <0.05). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was significantly lower in AF group (p<0.05). D-dimer and myoglobin were no significant difference. EFT (6.45±1.18 vs 5.30±1.23 mm, p<0.001), Left atrium (LA) diameter and LA volume were significantly higher in AF group. The respective cut-off value of EFT, FFA and pro-BNP for prediction of the AF were 5.58mm, 1226.5 μEq/ml and 295.0 pg/ml (sensitivity 85%, specificity 61%, AUC 0.76 for EFT; 67%, 93%, 0.79 for FFA; 82%, 84%, 0.88 for pro-BNP). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, FFA and EFT were independently associated with the presence of AF (p<0.05). Conclusions: The combination of EFT, FFA and pro-BNP can be a useful marker for the prediction of the AF in acute ischemic stroke.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 679-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murat Biteker ◽  
Temel Özden ◽  
Akin Dayan ◽  
Ahmet Ilker Tekkeşin ◽  
Cemile Handan Misirli

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1754-60
Author(s):  
Isa Sincer ◽  
Emrah Erdal ◽  
Adnan Gucuk ◽  
Emre Bostancı ◽  
Yilmaz Gunes

Background: Varicocele is abnormal dilation of testis veins. The precise mechanism of varicocele is not fully understood despite some hypothesis were suggested in the literature. Disequilibrium between constrictor and dilatator mechanism of the veins have been shown to cause varicocele. High-grade varicoceles have been also linked to endothelial dysfunction and increased vasoconstriction. Objectives: We hypothesized that epicardial fat thickness (EFT), flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and aortic stiffness (AS) could be associated with varicocele. In the present study, we aimed to compare vascular parameters such as FMD, EFT and AS in healthy subjects and high-grade varicocele patients. Methods: The study population consisted of 35 men with high-grade varicocele and 32 age- and sex-matched control subjects younger than 45 years old. This is a cross-sectional study conducted at Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Hospital between May to October 2018. Results: EFT, aortic diastolic diameters (AoDD) and EFT/BMI ratio were significantly higher in control group than in pa- tients with high-grade (p=0.012, p=0.044, p=0.026, respectively). EFT and EFT /BMI ratio were significantly and inversely correlated with presence of varicocele (r=-0.422, p=0.009; r=-0.38, p=0.026, respectively). Conclusion: The present study suggests that high-grade varicocele may be associated with decreased echocardiographic EFT but not with aortic stiffness and FMD. Keywords: High-grade varicocele; epicardial fat thickness, flow-mediated dilatation, aortic stiffness.


2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 439-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.K. Jensen ◽  
H. Mickley ◽  
S. Bak ◽  
L. Korsholm ◽  
S.R. Kristensen

2007 ◽  
Vol 260 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 139-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuele Di Angelantonio ◽  
Stefano De Castro ◽  
Danilo Toni ◽  
Maria Luisa Sacchetti ◽  
Francesco Biraschi ◽  
...  

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