Relationship between EAT and atherosclerosis severity with regard to gender.

<p>The box plots demonstrate the relationship between EAT mass and atherosclerosis severity with regard to gender in patients with preserved LVF (LVF≥50%, Panel A) and reduced LVF (LVF<50%, Panel B). EAT mass in men is indicated by striped box plots, whereas EAT mass in women is shown by squared box plots. The p-values for the differences of the EAT mass between men and women are also indicated. EAT mass is given as mean ± standard deviation below the box plots, the line in the box plots indicates the median value of the data. In patients with preserved LVF≥50% (Panel A) and mild CAD (GSS≤10), EAT mass was comparable to healthy controls (white boxplot). With increasing atherosclerosis severity, EAT mass rose significantly in patients with moderate CAD (GSS>10−<40). However, in patients with severe atherosclerosis (GGS>40), EAT mass already started to decline. This EAT course was comparable in men and women. In patients with reduced LVF<50% (Panel B), EAT mass was significantly reduced compared to healthy controls (white boxplot) and showed a stepwise decline with increasing atherosclerosis severity in men and women. <i>Abbreviations: CAD: coronary artery disease, EAT: epicardial adipose tissue, LVF: left ventricular function, GSS: Gensini score.</i>