Evaluation of epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima-media thickness as a marker of atherosclerosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

• Published in: Revista española de enfermedades digestivas Vol. 113; no. 9; pp. 643 - 648
• Main Authors: Ekmen, Nergiz, Can, Güray, Yozgat, Ahmet, Can, Hatice, Bayraktar, Muahammed Fatih, Demirkol, Muhammed Emin, Akdogan Kayhan, Meral, Sasani, Hadi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Spain Sociedad Espanola de Patologia Digestivas 01-09-2021
• ISSN: 1130-0108
• DOI: 10.17235/reed.2020.7394/2020

Background and study's purpose: It was aimed to compare carotid intima media (CIMT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) measurements, which are considered as markers in detecting early atherosclerosis, in healthy control and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
In a total of 60 IBD patients (25 crohn disease and 35 ulcerative colitis) and 60 healthy patients as control group, were included in the study. The measurement of CIMT and EAT were performed by using echocardiography and ultrasonography, respectively. Statistical analysis was employed for the relationship between the parameters.
The thickness of bilateral (right and left) CIMT and EAT were found to be significantly higher in IBD than those of the control group (P <0.05). There was a positive correlation between EAT and bilateral (right and left) CIMT in IBD patients (p<0,05).
IBD is associated with increased thickness of EAT and CIMT. Because chronic inflammation in IBD may increase the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease, only measuring the thickness of EAT and CIMT can be used as an objective, easy, simple, affordable, non-invasive and accessible assessment method in order to screen this risk.