Serum oxidative stress level correlates with epicardial adipose tissue thickness in heart failure-reduced ejection fraction patients

Aim: In the course of heart failure, various inflammatory cytokines are secreted and oxidative stress occurs. The source of someproduced cytokines is epicardial fat tissue (EFT). There is a positive correlation between EFT thickness and metabolic activity. In thisstudy, we aimed to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress and epicardial fat tissue thickness in patients with heartfailure.Material and Methods: A total of 36 patients with heart failure-reduced ejection fraction as study group and 36 subjects withoutheart failure as control group were included in the study. Biochemical blood analyses and echocardiographic examinations wereperformed.Results: The NT-proBNP level in the heart failure-reduced ejection fraction group was significantly higher than the control group(6506.8±11214.3, 116.5±185.6, respectively, p<0.001). The total oxidant status level in the heart failure-reduced ejection fractiongroup was significantly higher than the control group (14.5±3.7, 10.3±2.0, respectively, p<0.001). The total antioxidant capacity levelin the heart failure-reduced ejection fraction group was significantly lower than the control group (7.2±2.8, 14.4±8.7, respectively,p<0.001). The EFT thickness level in the heart failure-reduced ejection fraction group was significantly higher than the control group(0.78 / (0.67-0.85), 0.51 / (0.37-0.66), respectively, p<0.001).Conclusions: Oxidative stress was higher in patients with heart failure and similarly the EFT thickness was found to be increased.