Increased epicardial fat tissue is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a potential indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis. Epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is proposed as a new cardiometabolic risk factor.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between EFT and CIMT in patients with psoriasis.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional and observational study; 65 patients with psoriasis and 50 age- and sex- matched control subjects were included. Data about echocardiographic EFT, CIMT, anthropometric measurements and metabolic profile were obtained.

RESULTS

The EFT and CIMT were significantly increased (7.3 ± 0.5 vs. 6.5 ± 0.5 mm, P < 0.01; 0.74 ± 0.11 vs. 0.60 ± 0.07 mm, P < 0.01, respectively) in patients with psoriasis compared with the controls. EFT was significantly correlated with CIMT (r = 0.69, P < 0.01). In a multiple linear regression model in which EFT was independently associated with psoriasis (β = 0.45, P < 0.01), age (β = 0.33, P = 0.01), CIMT (β = 0.50, P < 0.01), body mass index (β = 0.25, P = 0.01), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (β = 0.32, P < 0.01) and duration of disease (β = 0.34, P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that EFT and CIMT are increased in patients with psoriasis, and that echocardiographic EFT is closely correlated with CIMT in patients with psoriasis. The echocardiographic assessment of EFT may have the potential to be a simple marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk in patients with psoriasis.