Assessment of epicardial adipose tissue in young obese children

Objective: Epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATT) is suggested to play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. In adolescents it is correlated with BMI z-score, cardiovascular risk factors, and pro- and anti-inflammatory markers. EATT of overweight/obese children was compared with EATT of normal weight peers (cross-sectional design). We investigated the association between EATT, cardiovascular risk factors and pro- and anti-inflammatory markers and the effect of a one year, multidisciplinary, treatment program on EATT in overweight/obese children (longitudinal design).Methods: EATT was measured by echocardiography (25 obese, 8 overweight and 15 normal weight children; median age 5.1 years). In the overweight/obese children blood pressure, lipid profile, glucose, insulin, high sensitive CRP, and adiponectin concentrations were measured. In overweight/obese children participating in a multidisciplinary treatment program, measurements were repeated after 4 and 12 months.Results: EATT was significantly higher in the overweight (median 1.38mm) and obese (median 1.57mm) children compared to normal weight children (median 0.87mm). Among obese children EATT was significantly inversely associated with adiponectin (r = −0.485).Conclusions: EATT is increased in overweight/obese children and is inversely associated with adiponectin. Echocardiographic measurement of EATT is easy and might serve as a simple tool for cardio-metabolic risk stratification