The reliability of self-reported blood in urine and schistosomiasis as indicators of Schistosoma haematobium infection in school children: a study in Muheza District, Tanzania

The use of self-reported blood in urine and schistosomiasis by school children was investigated as a tool to estimate the prevalence of infection with Schistosoma haematobium and to identify infected individuals. A general questionnaire about common health problems, including questions about blood in urine and schistosomiasis, was administered by teachers to 25443 children in 137 primary schools in Muheza District, Tanzania. The prevalence of reported schistosomiasis was calculated for each school and used to select 15 schools across a range in prevalence. All children in the 15 schools (n = 2370) were interviewed again by a nurse and gave a urine sample which was subjected to a quantitative microscopical examination for the eggs of S. haematobium by filtration. The prevalence of reported schistosomiasis by the interview in the 15 schools correlated strongly with the prevalence reported during the questionnaire survey. The prevalence of reported schistosomiasis in the interview was strongly correlated with the prevalence of infection determined by microscopy and consistently under-estimated the latter by around 20% across a range in prevalence from 22% to 93%. The sensitivity of diagnosis by an interview increased almost linearly with the prevalence of infection, so that when the prevalence was high, more infected children reported schistosomiasis. The percentage of children who were correct in their self-diagnosis was independent of the prevalence of infection and of the mean concentration of eggs in urine, and averaged 75%. These findings suggest that self-reported schistosomiasis is a useful method to estimate the prevalence of infection in schools and might be used to identify infected individuals.     

Circulating anodic and cathodic antigen in serum and urine of mixed Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni infections in Office du Niger, Mali

Summary In Office du Niger, an area endemic for both Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni in Mali, circulating anodic (CAA) and cathodic (CCA) antigen detection assays were performed on pre-treatment serum and urine samples from two villages, Rigandé and Siguivoucée, and compared with egg counting methods. The highest prevalence was obtained with the urine-CCA assay which also had the highest sensitivity to S. haematobium, S. mansoni or mixed infection. A single urine-CCA assay was as sensitive as repeated egg counts (one stool + two urine examinations per individual). When the different assays were tested in parallel, several combinations including assays on serum were found to be highly sensitive. As urine sampling is widely accepted, urine assays will be used for further monitoring these villages one and two years after chemotherapy.     

Parameters associated with Schistosoma haematobium infection before and after chemotherapy in school children from two villages in the Coast province of Kenya

We evaluated the impact of praziquantel therapy (40 mg/kg body weight) on indicators of infection with Schistosoma haematobium by following a cohort of infected children from schools located 12 km apart in the Coast province of Kenya, at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 18 months after treatment. Within this period, measurements of infection parameters pertaining to egg counts and haematuria (micro-, macro- and history) were evaluated at all time points. The initial prevalence of 100% dropped significantly 8 weeks after treatment with a similar trend in the intensity of infection. Microhaematuria followed the same trend as observed for egg counts while macrohaematuria remained low after treatment. Reinfection following successful therapy differed significantly between schools; in one school the children were reinfected immediately while those in the other remained uninfected despite similar starting prevalences, intensities of infection and cure rates. Transmission between the two areas looked homogeneous before treatment but when both groups were treated, contrasting transmission patterns became evident. In a regression model we evaluated factors that might be associated with reinfection, and after allowing for pretreatment infection level, age and sex, area (school) remained a highly significant predictor.     

The epidemiology of a recent focus of mixed Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni infections around the 'Lac de Guiers' in the Senegal River Basin, Senegal

A village with mixed Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium infections (probably in a early endemic phase) was identified around the Lac de Guiers in the Senegal River Basin. In documenting the epidemiology of both schistosomes, we focused on prevalence and intensity of infection, transmission patterns and the impact of treatment. S. mansoni prevalences (near 100%) and egg counts (overall geometric mean eggs per gram of faeces (epg) of 589 were high in all age groups, with 35% of individuals excreting > 1000 epg, and showing a slow decline in egg output only after the age of 30 years. The overall prevalence (28%) and egg counts (2% > 50 eggs/10 ml) of S. haematobium were low, with mean counts of 6.3 eggs/10 ml. Maximal mean S. mansoni egg counts were found in 5-9 year-old boys and in 15-19 year-old girls; S. haematobium maximal counts in 1-4 year-old boys and in girls aged 5-9. Extremely high Biomphalaria pfeifferi infection ratios were recorded over the whole year. Following a single treatment, re-infection was rapid with prevalences and mean egg counts of both Schistosoma species reaching pretreatment levels within 7 months.     

Dissociation of interleukin-4 and interleukin-5 production following treatment for Schistosoma haematobium infection in humans

Infection with Schistosoma haematobium, the causative agent of urinary schistosomiasis is characterized by high levels of specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E and eosinophilia. The primary cytokines driving production of IgE and eosinophilia are IL-4 and IL-5, respectively. In this study, IL-4 and IL-5 production in children from a schistosome endemic area of Zimbabwe were investigated. Blood samples were taken, stimulated in vitro with either mitogen or schistosome antigens and assayed for IL-4 and IL-5 production. These samples produced either IL-4 or IL-5 but rarely both cytokines when blood was cultured in vitro for 24 or 48 h. After 72 h culture in vitro, both cytokines were detected in most samples. These data imply that while IL-4 and IL-5 are both produced by schistosome infected people, they are not necessarily coproduced.     

Simple questionnaire and urine reagent strips compared to microscopy for the diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium in a community in northern Ghana

Objectives To evaluate the utility of a simple questionnaire and urine reagent strip testing for the rapid diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium in rural northern Ghana. Methods Cross‐sectional parasitological and questionnaire survey in a community in northern Ghana. Participants provided two urine specimens that were examined under a microscope using a centrifugation method. The first urine sample was additionally subjected to reagent strip testing. A short questionnaire was administered to all participants. Results Microscopy of urine samples obtained from 208 individuals aged 1–77 years revealed an S. haematobium prevalence of 6.8%. The presence of any blood or protein on a urine reagent strip was 100% and 42% sensitive, and 93% and 80% specific for S. haematobium diagnosis. Questionnaires were completed by 198 individuals. Self‐reported haematuria showed a sensitivity of 53% and a specificity of 85%. A dichotomous two‐question panel was helpful in S. haematobium diagnosis, with working and playing near the river significantly associated with S. haematobium infection (P < 0.001). Conclusion The use of urine reagent strips, coupled with questions pertaining to water contact patterns, might be considered for point‐of‐contact diagnosis of S. haematobium where microscopy is unavailable.     

Control of urinary schistosomiasis: an investigation into the effective use of questionnaires to identify high-risk communities and individuals in Niger State, Nigeria

Schistosomiasis is a public health problem in Nigeria. Although there is a national programme for its control, there is the need for reliable and simple means of rapidly diagnosing communities to provide a detailed map on the distribution of the disease in the country, in order to prioritize control activities, as well as to monitor the effectiveness of control operations. A rapid assessment technique using school questionnaires was tested in Borgu Local Government Area (LGA), Niger State, north-western Nigeria. Following a series of focus group discussions, the questionnaires were adapted before they were administered through the school system to 60 primary schools in Borgu LGA. Correctly completed questionnaires were returned from 58 schools (97%) within 4 weeks. Questionnaires were validated by reagent stick tests performed by trained teachers. Their results proved to be reliable compared to those obtained by our research team in 20 randomly selected schools. Overall prevalences of microhaematuria at 1+ and 2+ levels were 45.7% and 27. 1%, respectively. Highly significant correlations were obtained between school prevalence of microhaematuria and reported schistosomiasis, as well as reported blood in urine. The diagnostic performance of the questionnaires at the 2+ level of microhaematuria was very good. The design of our study also allowed data analysis on an individual level, and multivariate analysis revealed highly significant odds ratios for reported schistosomiasis and reported blood in urine to detect an individual with urinary schistosomiasis. Our results are in good agreement with reports from other African countries, and questionnaires can be recommended for rapid identification of communities at highest risk of urinary schistosomiasis in Nigeria, so that scarce resources of the national control programme can be used most effectively.     

Preparing for national school‐based deworming in Kenya: the validation and large‐scale distribution of school questionnaires with urinary schistosomiasis

Objective School questionnaires of self‐reported schistosomiasis provide a rapid and simple approach for identifying schools at high risk of Schistosoma haematobium and requiring mass treatment. This study investigates the reliability of school questionnaires to identify such schools and infected children within the context of a national school‐based deworming programme in Kenya. Methods Between November 2008 and March 2009, 6182 children from 61 schools in Coast Province, Kenya were asked by an interviewer whether they had blood in urine or urinary schistosomiasis (kichocho), and their results were compared with results from microscopic examination of urine samples. Subsequently, in 2009, a school‐based questionnaire survey for self‐reported schistosomiasis was distributed by the Ministry of Education to all schools in Coast Province, and its results were compared against results from the parasitological survey. The questionnaire survey results were linked to a schools database and mapped. Results Prevalence of self‐reported blood in urine was lower among girls than boys among all ages. The use of a 30% threshold of reported blood in urine was both highly sensitive (91.7%) and specific (100%) in identifying high (>50%) prevalence schools in Coast Province. Questionnaires were however less reliable in diagnosing S. haematobium infection in individuals, particularly among young girls. Comparable levels of reliability were observed when the questionnaire was distributed through the existing education systems and administered by class teachers. Conclusions The results confirm that blood in urine questionnaires can be reliably used to target mass treatment with praziquantel at national scales. The mapped results of the Ministry of Education survey serve to describe the spatial variation of urinary schistosomiasis and identify schools requiring mass treatment.     

Accuracy of circulating cathodic antigen tests for rapid mapping of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium infections in Southern Sudan

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) urine dipstick test for detecting Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium alongside an integrated rapid mapping survey in Southern Sudan. Methods and Results A total of 373 children aged 5–16 years were included in the study. Of these 26.0% were infected with S. haematobium and 24.5% were infected with S. mansoni, as identified by urine filtration or single Kato–Katz thick smear, respectively. The CCA performed moderately in detecting S. mansoni, with sensitivity of 89.1% and specificity of 74.2%, and poorly in detecting S. haematobium infections, with a sensitivity of 36.8% and specificity of 78.9%. This may be a slight underestimate of true CCA accuracy, since only single stool and urine samples were examined by microscopy. The true ‘gold standard’ for comparison would have been the collection of multiple stool samples over consecutive days. Conclusion The poor CCA accuracy for diagnosis of urinary schistosomiasis means that this test is currently not suitable for rapid mapping of schistosomiasis in areas where both S. mansoni and S. haematobium may be endemic.     

The relationship between age,sex, egg-count and specific antibody responses against Schistosoma mansoni antigens in a Ugandan fishing community

In schistosomiasis endemic areas, antibody isotype responses against Schistosoma mansoni antigens vary with host age, sex and duration or intensity of infection, and are associated with susceptibility or resistance to infection. Identifying the quality and quantity of these responses is important to our understanding of the host-parasite relationship; however, the various host and parasite factors have a strong tendency to confound each other. We investigated the relationships and interactions between age, sex, faecal egg-counts and specific antibody isotype (IgA, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgE, IgM) responses to S. mansoni worm (SWA) and egg (SEA) antigens, amongst 380 individuals aged 5-59 from a fishing community from Uganda. This community was characterized by high levels of exposure, and high infection intensities, with higher infection intensities in males than in females. Multivariate anova was conducted with interaction terms between the three categorized explanatory variables. Most anti-SWA responses increased with age, whereas anti-SEA responses tended to decline with age, especially after puberty. IgG1-SWA, IgG4-SWA, IgG4-SEA, IgE-SWA responses increased with egg count, whereas IgG2-SEA decreased with egg count. IgG1-SWA, IgG4-SWA, IgE-SWA and IgG4-SEA responses were independently higher in males, whereas IgG2-SEA responses were independently higher in females. The significant effects of sex on isotype responses to adult worm antigens may be partly because of different levels of cumulative exposure. IgG4-SEA and IgG4-SWA were both strongly correlated with egg count. Patterns of IgE-SWA responses were qualitatively different to IgG4 responses, suggesting independent pathways of regulation.     

Identifying type 1 and type 2 diabetic cases using administrative data: a tree-structured model

Background:

To date, few administrative diabetes mellitus (DM) registries have distinguished type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Objective:

Using a classification tree model, a prediction rule was developed to distinguish T1DM from T2DM in a large administrative database.

Methods:

The Medical Archival Retrieval System at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center included administrative and clinical data from January 1, 2000, through September 30, 2009, for 209,647 DM patients aged ≥18 years. Probable cases (8,173 T1DM and 125,111 T2DM) were identified by applying clinical criteria to administrative data. Nonparametric classification tree models were fit using TIBCO Spotfire S+ 8.1 (TIBCO Software), with model size based on 10-fold cross validation. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of T1DM were estimated.

Results:

The main predictors that distinguished T1DM from T2DM are age <40 years; International Classification of Disease, 9th revision, codes of T1DM or T2DM diagnosis; inpatient oral hypoglycemic agent use; inpatient insulin use; and episode(s) of diabetic ketoacidosis diagnosis. Compared with a complex clinical algorithm, the tree-structured model to predict T1DM had 92.8% sensitivity, 99.3% specificity, 89.5% PPV, and 99.5% NPV.

Conclusion:

The preliminary predictive rule appears to be promising. Being able to distinguish between DM subtypes in administrative databases will allow large-scale subtype-specific analyses of medical care costs, morbidity, and mortality.     

HUITAI rapid urease test: a new ultra-rapid biopsy urease test for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND: The gastric biopsy urease test is an accurate and robust diagnostic test for Helicobacter pylori infection. Large endoscopy units use their own homemade unbuffered ultra-rapid urease test for diagnosis of H. pylori infection but several commercial rapid urease tests are available. OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy and reaction time of a new biopsy urease test, HUITAI rapid urease test, in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. METHODS: Consecutive patients presenting with dyspepsia to the endoscopy unit, University of Malaya Medical Center were recruited for the study. Patients who were previously treated for H. pylori infection or who had received antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors or bismuth compounds in the preceding 4 weeks were excluded. The H. pylori diagnosis was made based on the homemade rapid urease test, histology and culture of gastric biopsies. Biopsies from the antrum and corpus of the stomach were taken for this purpose. In addition, two antral and corpus biopsies were taken for the HUITAI rapid urease test. A positive diagnosis of H. pylori infection was made when the culture was positive or if both histology and the rapid urease test were positive. A negative diagnosis was made when all tests were negative. The positive reaction time of the HUITAI rapid urease test was carefully timed up to 60 min. RESULTS: Two hundred and six patients were recruited in the study. One hundred and twelve were diagnosed as having an H. pylori infection while the other 94 patients were regarded as negative. There were no spoiled tests and no indeterminate results. The sensitivity of the HUITAI rapid urease test was 98.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 93.7%, 99.8%), specificity, 99.0% (95% CI: 94.2%, 100%), positive predictive value, 99.0% (95% CI: 95.1%, 100%), negative predictive value, 97.9% (95% CI: 92.6%, 99.7%). The overall diagnostic accuracy for the HUITAI rapid urease test was 98.5% (95% CI: 96.6, 99.9). The median positive reaction time was 1.0 min (25-75% inter-quartile range [IQR]: 1.0-3.0 min). CONCLUSIONS: The HUITAI rapid urease test is highly accurate for the diagnosis of an H. pylori infection and showed a very rapid positive reaction time.     

Human water contacts patterns in Schistosoma mansoni epidemic foci in northern Senegal change according to age,sex and place of residence,but are not related to intensity of infection

In an epidemic focus in northern Senegal, adults had lower intensities of infection than adolescents, a phenomenon that could not be attributed to immunity acquired over the previous 10-15 years of exposure to the parasite because all age groups had had the same number of years' experience of the worm. This article considers whether this pattern could have been because of higher levels of exposure to the parasite in younger age groups. Personal contact with infected water was recorded using a questionnaire in Schistosoma mansoni foci not more than 3 years old and in another, 10-year-old focus. Many aspects of contact (e.g. frequency, duration or time of day of contact) may contribute to the number of encounters with infective cercariae (true exposure), so various assumptions regarding the relationship between water contact and true exposure were tested resulting in a range of exposure indices. People reported a mean of 4.4 separate contacts, and spent a median of 57 min per day in water. Patterns of water contact differed depending on the exposure index used, e.g. considering duration, males spent a longer time in water than females (P < 0.001). But using frequency, females had more contacts with water than males in most villages (P < 0.001). Generally, exposure levels dropped as people become aged (P < 0.001) and residents of the older focus were more exposed than residents of other foci (P < 0.002). Intensity of (re)infection was not related to exposure either alone or in models incorporating age, sex and/or village irrespective of the index used. There is therefore evidence that age, sex and place of residence determine exposure but none to suggest that exposure had an influence on the relationship between these factors and intensity of infection. We propose therefore that in this population other factors have principal importance in determining intensity of infection.     

“Click test”: Rapid diagnosis of the respiratory distress syndrome

Appropriate and early treatment with exogenous surfactant has clinical and economic benefits for neonates with pulmonary surfactant deficiency. In order to rapidly and reliably identify such neonates, we have evaluated the shake and click tests, biophysical tests of surfactant function, using 0.2 mL samples of tracheal (TA) and gastric aspirates (GA). Samples from 181 neonates with a gestational age range of 24–40 weeks were shaken with 95% ethanol. If bubbles formed (positive shake test) they were examined in air-free water under a microscope. In a positive shake or click test, the bubbles rhythmically increase and then decrease in size, denoting the presence of active surfactant. The probability of the tests to predict clinical surfactant deficiency was analyzed. The latter was defined as respiratory distress syndrome or transient tachypnea of the newborn diagnosed by chest radiography and clinical criteria. The click test on TA from preterm infants was most accurate, with a 100% positive predictive value and specificity, and a 93% and 94% negative predictive value and sensitivity, respectively. These values for GA were 73%, 84%, 97%, and 95%. respectively. The test is quick, simple, inexpensive, reproducible, and unaffected by contamination with blood. The accuracy of this test on TA in diagnosing surfactant deficiency in neonates would permit early and optimal treatment with exogenous surfactant. When performed on GA, the test could aid decisions regarding transfer of neonates to tertiary level care. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1994; 17:383–389. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Limited value of alarm features in the diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal malignancy: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Alarm features such as dysphagia, weight loss, or anemia raise concern of an upper gastrointestinal malignancy in patients with dyspepsia. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of alarm features in predicting malignancy by performing a metaanalysis based on the published literature. METHODS: English-language studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and CINAHL. Cohort studies that measured alarm features and compared them with the endoscopic findings were included. Studies were screened for inclusion by 2 authors who independently extracted the data. Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were calculated by comparing the alarm feature with the endoscopic diagnosis. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve method was used to summarize test characteristics across studies. Individual alarm features were also assessed when the study report permitted. RESULTS: Eighty-three of 2600 studies met the initial screening criteria; 15 met inclusion criteria after detailed review. These 15 studies evaluated a total of 57,363 patients, of whom 458 (.8%) had cancer. The sensitivity of alarm symptoms varied from 0% to 83% with considerable heterogeneity between studies. The specificity also varied significantly from 40% to 98%. A clinical diagnosis made by a physician was very specific (range, 97%-98%) but not very sensitive (range, 11%-53%). CONCLUSIONS: Alarm features have limited predictive value for an underlying malignancy. Their use in dyspepsia management strategies needs further refinement and study.     

Social Media Responses to COVID-19: The PRONTO study: Clinical performance of ID NOW in individuals with compatible SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in walk-in centres—accelerated turnaround time for contact tracing

BackgroundThis PRONTO study investigated the clinical performance of the Abbott ID NOW^TM (IDN) COVID-19 diagnostic assay used at point of care and its impact on turnaround time for divulgation of test results.MethodsProspective study conducted from December 2020 to February 2021 in acute symptomatic participants presenting in three walk-in centres in the province of Québec.ResultsValid paired samples were obtained from 2,372 participants. A positive result on either the IDN or the standard-of-care nucleic acid amplification test (SOC-NAAT) was obtained in 423 participants (prevalence of 17.8%). Overall sensitivity of IDN and SOC-NAAT were 96.4% (95% CI: 94.2–98.0%) and 99.1% (95% CI: 97.6–99.8), respectively; negative predictive values were 99.2% (95% CI: 98.7–99.6%) and 99.8% (95% CI: 99.5–100%), respectively. Turnaround time for positive results was significantly faster on IDN.ConclusionIn our experience, IDN use in symptomatic individuals in walk-in centres is a reliable sensitive alternative to SOC-NAAT without the need for subsequent confirmation of negative results. Such deployment can accelerate contact tracing, reduce the burden on laboratories and increase access to testing.     

The yield and safety of string capsule endoscopy in patients with dysphagia

BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is a contraindication for the use of conventional capsule endoscopy (CE). Because string CE (SCE) allows for the immediate retrieval of the device, it eliminates the risk of capsule retention. OBJECTIVE: To assess the yield and safety of SCE in patients with dysphagia. DESIGN: Comparative study of SCE and EGD. SETTING: Phoenix Veteran Affairs Medical Center. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Patients with dysphagia underwent SCE and EGD. RESULTS: In 40 patients with dysphagia, the EGD findings were normal in 13 (32.5%); Schatzki's ring in 10 (25%); esophageal tumors in 9 (22.5%), with 1 of these having 2 separate and distinct malignancies; erosive esophagitis in 4 (10%); strictures in 2 (5%); and a web and large esophageal varices in 1 patient each (2.5%). The sensitivity of SCE for diagnosing anatomic pathology as the likely cause of dysphagia was 92.9%, with a specificity of 92.3%, a positive predictive value of 96.3%, and negative predictive value of 85.7%. The overall agreement between SCE and EGD was 92.7% and the kappa index was 0.83. There were no complications with either procedure. There was no case of capsule retention. The SCE recording time was 385.8 seconds; 77.5% patients preferred SCE to EGD. CONCLUSIONS: (1) SCE was safe, well tolerated, and accurate for the diagnosis of pathology responsible for dysphagia; (2) SCE was preferred to EGD by more than three fourths of patients; (3) SCE can be safely performed in patients with dysphagia.     

Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness Is an Independent Predictor of Critical and Complex Coronary Artery Disease by Gensini and Syntax Scores

Epicardial adipose tissue thickness is associated with the severity and extent of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. We prospectively investigated whether epicardial adipose tissue thickness is related to coronary artery disease extent and complexity as denoted by Gensini and Syntax scores, and whether the thickness predicts critical disease.After performing coronary angiography in 183 patients who had angina or acute myocardial infarction, we divided them into 3 groups: normal coronary arteries, noncritical disease (≥1 coronary lesion with <70% stenosis), and critical disease (≥1 coronary lesion with <70% stenosis). We used transthoracic echocardiography to measure epicardial adipose tissue thickness, then calculated Gensini and Syntax scores by reviewing the angiograms.Mean thicknesses were 4.3 ± 0.9, 5.2 ± 1.5, and 7.5 ± 1.9 mm in patients with normal coronary arteries, noncritical disease, and critical disease, respectively (P <0.001). At progressive thicknesses (<5, 5–7, and >7 mm), mean Gensini scores were 4.1 ± 5.5, 19.8 ± 15.6, and 64.9 ± 32.4, and mean Syntax scores were 4.7 ± 5.9, 16.6 ± 8.5, and 31.7 ± 8.7, respectively (both P <0.001). Thickness had strong and positive correlations with both scores (Gensini, r =0.82, P <0.001; and Syntax, r =0.825, P <0.001). The cutoff thickness value to predict critical disease was 5.75 mm (area under the curve, 0.875; 95% confidence interval, 0.825–0.926; P <0.001).Epicardial adipose tissue thickness is independently related to coronary artery disease extent and complexity as denoted by Gensini and Syntax scores, and it predicts critical coronary artery disease.