Background: The epicardial adipose tissue is considered an important organ in cardiac function.Childhood obesity has significant effect on cardiac system. However till now the effect of obesity on cardiac function is not detected, but evaluation of visceral adipose tissue may be done by echocardiographic measurement and its relationship with cardiometabolic risk.
Objectives: To detect measurements of epicardial adipose tissue thickness among children with obesity and to correlate the EAT with other cardiometabolic, anthropometric, clinical and laboratory variables.
Methods: Target sample comprised 12 overweight and obese children (study group) of age ranged from (6 - 12 years) selected from the outpatient obesity clinic and all have Body Mass Index , above 85th percentile for their corresponding age and sex. Twelve apparently healthychildren (control group)matched with the study group for age and sex . A questionnaire performed for collection of personal,sociodemographic and clinical data.clinical examination, laboratory investigations for fasting blood sugar and plasma lipids with echocardiographic measurement of EAT.
Results: In overweight and obese subjects, EAT was significantly higher compared to normal weight children. Overweight and obese children had significantly higher body mass index , WH ratio, BP, triglycerides . EAT correlated significantly with BP, TG.
Conclusion: Overweight and obese children exhibit an increase in echocardiographic epicardial adipose tissue thickness. Changes in epicardial adipose tissue thickness is associated with increase in blood pressure and serum triglycerides. For assessment of cardiometabolic risk EAT is an easy and practical accurate parameter for assessing visceral obesity.
Key words: Echocardiographic, epicardial adipose tissue, obese children