RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Visceral fat has deleterious metabolic effects and has been associated with myocardial ischemia. OBJECTIVE: To compare epicardial fat thickness in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study in 60 patients with acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation (30 diabetic and 30 non-diabetic). Cardiovascular risk factors and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score were registered. Using echocardiography, left ventricle ejection fraction and epicardial fat measured in the interventricular septum, right ventricle outflow tract, apex, and right ventricle free wall was evaluated. RESULTS: Epicardial fat at the apex (6.1 vs. 5.8 mm; p = 0.038) and in the interventricular septum (7.0 vs. 5.7 mm; p = 0.033) was higher in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients. In diabetic patients, plasmatic glucose correlated with TIMI score (R: 0.49; p = 0.005) and body mass index (R: -0.50; p = 0.004). The TIMI score (4.5 vs. 3.4; p = 0.04), body mass index (29.3 vs. 26.4; p = 0.008), epicardial fat in the interventricular septum (6.8 vs. 4.7; p = 0.000004) and in the right ventricle outflow tract (6.8 vs. 5.0; p = 0.000042) were higher in patients with fat in apex ≥ 6 mm. CONCLUSIONS: In diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation, interventricular septum and apex epicardial fat was higher compared with non-diabetic patients.
