Epicardial adipose tissue is a unique and multifaceted fat depot with local and systemic effects. This tissue is distinguished from other visceral fat depots by a number of anatomical and metabolic features, such as increased fatty acid metabolism and a unique transcriptome enriched in genes that are associated with inflammation and endothelial function. Epicardial fat and the heart share an unobstructed microcirculation, which suggests these tissues might interact. Under normal physiological conditions, epicardial fat has metabolic, thermogenic (similar to brown fat) and mechanical (cardioprotective) characteristics. Development of pathological conditions might drive the phenotype of epicardial fat such that it becomes harmful to the myocardium and the coronary arteries. The equilibrium between protective and detrimental effects of this tissue is fragile. Expression of the epicardial-fat-specific transcriptome is downregulated in the presence of severe and advanced coronary artery disease. Improved local vascularization, weight loss and targeted medications can restore the protective physiological functions of epicardial fat. Measurements of epicardial fat have several important applications in the clinical setting: accurate measurement of its thickness or volume is correlated with visceral adiposity, coronary artery disease, the metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease and cardiac changes. On account of this simple clinical assessment, epicardial fat is a reliable marker of cardiovascular risk and an appealing surrogate for assessing the efficacy of drugs that modulate adipose tissues.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
11
3%
Other
27
8%
Unknown
112
33%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 7. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 16 February 2016.
All research outputs
#4,814,990
of 24,267,449 outputs
Outputs from Nature Reviews Endocrinology
#1,039
of 2,382 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#54,835
of 268,964 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Nature Reviews Endocrinology
#54
of 61 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 24,267,449 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 80th percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 2,382 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 23.5. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 55% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 268,964 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 78% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 61 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 11th percentile – i.e., 11% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
