Evaluating the relation between epicardial fat thickness and cardioversion success of atrial fibrillation patients

SUMMARY Evaluating The Relation Between Epicardial Fat Thickness And Cardioversion Success of Atrial Fibrillation Patients. Aim: We aimed to evaluate the relation between epicardial fat thickness and cardioversion (CV) success of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Methods: In this study 203 AF patients threated with CV evaluated. After excluding 103 patients for several reasons, study proceeded with the rest 100 patients. After CV. In patients with successfuly converted to sinüs rhythm (group 1) and in patients with failed to converting to sinüs rhythm (group 2). Demographic characteristics of study population, standard 2 dimensional Doppler and tissue Doppler echocardiographic findings recorded. Relation between epicardial fat thickness and CV success evaluated with statistical analysis. Results: There were 94 patients (average age 59,5±14,1) in group 1 and 6 patients (average age 59±8,7) in group 2. Both groups had similar demographic features. Basic echocardiographic paramethers like left atrial diameter, left ventricular diameter, septal thickness, ejection fraction, and left ventricular mass index were also similar between two groups. Epicardial fat thickness was significantly different between the two groups (p=0,002). Conclusions: Increased epicardial fat thickness found to be related with reduced CV success rates of AF patients. Keywords Epicardial fat, atrial fibrillation