Correlation between Obesity and Epicardial Fat Volume in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: From the Alternative Cardiovascular Bio-Imaging Markers Registry.

Background: The primary objective was to investigate the relationship between and obesity and epicardial fat volume (EFV) in individuals diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD), with the aim of determining whether a consistent linear relationship exists among these factors.

Material and methods: This cross-sectional study involved a total of 510 participants. To explore the relationship between EFV and obesity in CAD patients, we controlled for potential confounding variables, including age, sex, diabetes mellitus, smoking history, arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, statin use, vasculopathy, and prior acute myocardial infarction.

Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, a non-linear relationship was observed between obesity and EFV, with an inflection point identified at 200 ml. The effect sizes and their respective confidence intervals were 1.02 (CI: 1.02-1.03) and 0.99 (CI: 0.98-1.00) on either side of this inflection point. Below a EFV of 200 ml, a positive correlation between obesity and EFV was apparent.

Conclusion: The relationship between obesity and EFV in CAD patients is non-linear, and this should be considered when developing prognostic models for CAD. The findings suggest that the relationship between EFV and obesity is more complex than previously thought and warrants further investigation to better understand its implications for both CAD and obesity risk assessment and management.