Epicardial adipose tissue and right ventricular function in type 2 diabetes mellitus using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue is an emerging cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of this study was to evaluate right ventricular function and investigate its association with EAT in T2DM patients. Methods: 154 T2DM patients were divided into two groups according to EAT thickness: T2DM with EAT <5 mm and T2DM with EAT >= 5 mm. Seventy non-T2DM patients were enrolled as control group. RV function was evaluated using both conventional echocardiography as well as two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. EAT thickness was measured as the echo-free space between the free wall of the right ventricle and the visceral layer of pericardium at end-systole. Results: Compared to control group, EAT thickness was significantly higher and RV systolic function and early diastolic function are all impaired in all T2DM patients. In T2DM with EAT >= 5 mm group, RV systolic function and early diastolic function suffered more severe impairment when compared with T2DM with EAT <5 mm group. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that EAT was associated with RV systolic and early diastolic dysfunction independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions: Our research suggest that in T2DM patients RV systolic function and early diastolic function are all impaired which are associated with the thickened EAT.