Epicardial Adipose Tissue: A Piece of The Puzzle in Pediatric Hypertension

Abstract

Background and purpose: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a metabolically active tissue located on the surface of the myocardium, which might have a potential impact on cardiac function and morphology. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether EAT is associated with essential arterial hypertension (AH) in children and adolescents. Methods: Prospective cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) study and clinical evaluation were performed on 72 children, 36 of whom were diagnosed with essential AH, and the other 36 were healthy controls. The two groups were compared in volume and thickness of EAT, end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, stroke volume, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, average heart mass, average LV myocardial thickness, peak filling rate, peak filling time and clinical parameters. Results: Hypertensive patients have a higher volume (16.5 ± 1.9 cm3 and 10.9 ± 1.5 cm3 (t = −13.815, p < 0.001)) and thickness (0.8 ± 0.3 cm and 0.4 ± 0.1 cm, (U = 65.5, p < 0.001)) of EAT compared to their healthy peers. The volume of EAT might be a potential predictor of AH in children. Conclusions: Our study indicates that the volume of EAT is closely associated with hypertension in children and adolescents.

Assessment of Epicardial Fat in Children: Its Role as a Cardiovascular Risk Factor and How It Is Influenced by Lifestyle Habits

“…Several studies have also shown a correlation between EAT and essential high blood pressure in children with obesity and particularly those with MS [33,34]. Schweighofer et al [35] also showed a significant association between essential hypertension and EAT in non-obese children, which leads to the question of whether the amount of EAT could be partly influenced by genetic factors and suggests a potential role for EAT in the development of hypertension.…”