An increase in epicardial fat in women is associated with thrombotic risk. / El incremento de la grasa epicárdica en mujeres se asocia a riesgo trombótico.

INTRODUCTION: A decrease in fibrinolytic activity and an increase in the thickness of the epicardial adipose tissue have been observed in patients with coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to determine the association between epicardial adipose tissue and fibrinolytic activity by measuring the concentration of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 56 apparently healthy women aged 45 to 60 years. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical determinations were performed on all participants. The fibrinolytic activity was determined by measuring PAI-1 by ELISA. Epicardial thickness was assessed by transthoracic echocardiography. RESULTS: The concentration of PAI-1 was directly associated with the thickness of the epicardial adipose tissue (r=0.475, P=.001), body mass index (BMI), visceral adipose tissue, insulin resistance, glucose, and HDL-cholesterol. The multivariate regression analysis indicated that epicardial fat independently predicts the concentrations of PAI-1. CONCLUSIONS: Women with thicker epicardial adipose tissue have reduced fibrinolytic activity, and consequently greater thrombotic risk.

Pleural mesothelioma in paraoccupational, environmental and occupational patients exposed to asbestos.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the characteristics of pleural mesothelioma in patients exposed to asbestos. METHODS: A transverse study in 3700 cases of lung cancer was conducted. There were identified 21 cases with mesothelioma. Age, gender, smoking history, cancer development, dissemination, cytohistochemistry, lethality and total lung capacity were studied. ANOVA test was used. RESULTS: The incidence was of 0.45/100,000 patients. Four (19%) corresponded to occupational exposure (OE), seven (33%) para-occupational (PE) and ten (48%) environmental (EE). The mean age at detection was 50 years for PE, 55 years for EE and 64 years for OE. Twenty cases were male. Thirteen patients (62%) were active cigarette smokers. The latency time in PE mesothelioma was 34.5 years, in OE 40 years, and in EE more than 40 years. In 19 (90%) cases the tumor was disseminated. Diagnosis was confirmed by cytohistochemistry. Malignant mesothelioma was reported in 19 (90%) cases. The survival period was 5 months for OE patients, 10 in PE and 16 in EE. CONCLUSIONS: There is a low incidence of malignant mesothelioma in our population. Male was the predominant group. Occupational and paraoccupational exposure predominated in patients.