Ricerc@Sapienza

In the last decades, the interest in the role of Epicardial Fat Thickness (EFT) in the cardiovascular and metabolic diseases has increased exponentially. Epicardial Fat (EF) is defined as the true visceral depot of the heart and is located between the myocardium and the visceral pericardium. EF, similar to the intra-abdominal fat, embryologically evolves from the brown adipose tissue and is responsible for the production of many molecules (proinflammatory and ant-inflammatory). A unique anatomic characteristic of the EF is the close connection with the coronary vessels, with whom it shares the vascularization. Robust evidence supports the importance of a paracrine interaction between epicardial fat and coronaries, thus the role of EF in cardioovascular diseases. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most common hepatic disease worldwide. NAFLD represents a broad spectrum of conditions, ranging from steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is characterized by hepatic necroinflammation
with a potential of evolution to fibrosis and even to cirrhosis. Oxidative stress is considered of primary importance in the progression from fatty liver to NASH, representing one of the most plausible mechanisms involved in the progression of liver damage. This study aims to explore the interplay between oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and EFT in patients affected by NAFLD.