Abstract
Objectives: Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, African American men have less intra-abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) relative to total fat mass despite having a higher risk of obesity-related diseases. This study explores whether this racial pattern of VAT distribution extends to the intrathoracic VAT. Methods: We used two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography to measure pericardial and maximum and minimum epicardial fat thickness anterior to the right ventricle in 50 African American and 106 non-Hispanic White men, aged 40-75 years, consecutively referred for echocardiographyforstandard clinical indications. Age, coronary risk factors, height, and weight were recorded, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The two groups were compared with respect to pericardial and maximum, minimum, and average epicardial fat thicknesses. Results: Among non-Hispanic Whites, pericardial and minimum epicardial fat measured at the mid-right ventricular wall were higher by 37% and 69%, respectively, than among African Americans (5.2±3.1 mm vs 3.8±3.1 mm, P<.011;2.2±1.6 mm vs 1.3±1.2 mm, P<.001). Maximum epicardial fat along the distal right ventricular wall was 19% greater in non-Hispanic Whites, but this difference was not statistically significant (4.3±2.6 mm vs 3.6±2.0 mm, P=.133). The average epicardial fat measured at two sites was 26% greater in non-Hispanic Whites (2.9±2.0 mm vs 2.3 ± 1.3 mm, P=.019). Conclusions: Among men referred for echocardiography, non-Hispanic Whites have more epicardial and pericardial fat than do African Americans. Echocardiography may be a useful research tool for investigating VAT distribution and its relationship to cardiovascular risk.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 311-316 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Ethnicity and Disease |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2008 |
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Keywords
- African americans
- Echocardiography
- Epicardial fat
- Pericardial fat
- Visceral adipose tissue
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Epidemiology
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Comparison of epicardial and pericardial fat thickness assessed by echocardiography in African American and non-hispanic white men : A pilot study. / Willens, Howard J.; Gomez-Marin, Orlando W; Chirinos, Julio A.; Goldberg, Ronald B; Lowery, Maureen; Iacobellis, Gianluca.
In: Ethnicity and Disease, Vol. 18, No. 3, 01.06.2008, p. 311-316.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of epicardial and pericardial fat thickness assessed by echocardiography in African American and non-hispanic white men
T2 - A pilot study
AU - Willens, Howard J.
AU - Gomez-Marin, Orlando W
AU - Chirinos, Julio A.
AU - Goldberg, Ronald B
AU - Lowery, Maureen
AU - Iacobellis, Gianluca
PY - 2008/6/1
Y1 - 2008/6/1
N2 - Objectives: Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, African American men have less intra-abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) relative to total fat mass despite having a higher risk of obesity-related diseases. This study explores whether this racial pattern of VAT distribution extends to the intrathoracic VAT. Methods: We used two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography to measure pericardial and maximum and minimum epicardial fat thickness anterior to the right ventricle in 50 African American and 106 non-Hispanic White men, aged 40-75 years, consecutively referred for echocardiographyforstandard clinical indications. Age, coronary risk factors, height, and weight were recorded, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The two groups were compared with respect to pericardial and maximum, minimum, and average epicardial fat thicknesses. Results: Among non-Hispanic Whites, pericardial and minimum epicardial fat measured at the mid-right ventricular wall were higher by 37% and 69%, respectively, than among African Americans (5.2±3.1 mm vs 3.8±3.1 mm, P<.011;2.2±1.6 mm vs 1.3±1.2 mm, P<.001). Maximum epicardial fat along the distal right ventricular wall was 19% greater in non-Hispanic Whites, but this difference was not statistically significant (4.3±2.6 mm vs 3.6±2.0 mm, P=.133). The average epicardial fat measured at two sites was 26% greater in non-Hispanic Whites (2.9±2.0 mm vs 2.3 ± 1.3 mm, P=.019). Conclusions: Among men referred for echocardiography, non-Hispanic Whites have more epicardial and pericardial fat than do African Americans. Echocardiography may be a useful research tool for investigating VAT distribution and its relationship to cardiovascular risk.
AB - Objectives: Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, African American men have less intra-abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) relative to total fat mass despite having a higher risk of obesity-related diseases. This study explores whether this racial pattern of VAT distribution extends to the intrathoracic VAT. Methods: We used two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography to measure pericardial and maximum and minimum epicardial fat thickness anterior to the right ventricle in 50 African American and 106 non-Hispanic White men, aged 40-75 years, consecutively referred for echocardiographyforstandard clinical indications. Age, coronary risk factors, height, and weight were recorded, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The two groups were compared with respect to pericardial and maximum, minimum, and average epicardial fat thicknesses. Results: Among non-Hispanic Whites, pericardial and minimum epicardial fat measured at the mid-right ventricular wall were higher by 37% and 69%, respectively, than among African Americans (5.2±3.1 mm vs 3.8±3.1 mm, P<.011;2.2±1.6 mm vs 1.3±1.2 mm, P<.001). Maximum epicardial fat along the distal right ventricular wall was 19% greater in non-Hispanic Whites, but this difference was not statistically significant (4.3±2.6 mm vs 3.6±2.0 mm, P=.133). The average epicardial fat measured at two sites was 26% greater in non-Hispanic Whites (2.9±2.0 mm vs 2.3 ± 1.3 mm, P=.019). Conclusions: Among men referred for echocardiography, non-Hispanic Whites have more epicardial and pericardial fat than do African Americans. Echocardiography may be a useful research tool for investigating VAT distribution and its relationship to cardiovascular risk.
KW - African americans
KW - Echocardiography
KW - Epicardial fat
KW - Pericardial fat
KW - Visceral adipose tissue
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=55249100332&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=55249100332&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 18785445
AN - SCOPUS:55249100332
VL - 18
SP - 311
EP - 316
JO - Ethnicity and Disease
JF - Ethnicity and Disease
SN - 1049-510X
IS - 3
ER -