Epicardial Adiposity is Associated with Microalbuminuria in Patients with Essential Hypertension

Background: Measurement of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is suggested as a novel cardiometabolic risk factor. Microalbuminuria is amarker of endothelial dysfunction and is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in patients with systemic hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of echocardiographic epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness and microalbuminuria in hypertensive patients. Methods: 75 essential hypertensive patients were included into the study. All subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiography to measure EAT thickness. Spot urine sample was collected for the assessment ofmicroalbuminuria. Patients were divided into two groups according to their spot urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR); Group 1 included normoalbuminuria (0-30 g/mg); and Group 2: included microalbuminuria (30-300 g/mg). Thereafter, we evaluated patient characteristics including smoking status, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), antihypertensive treatment, statin th