Influence of EPICardial Adipose Tissue in HEART Diseases: EPICHEART Study

Inclusion Criteria: * symptomatic severe aortic stenosis patients (defined as aortic valve area of \< 1 cm2 or 0.6 cm2/m2 by transthoracic echocardiography) referred to aortic valve replacement. Exclusion Criteria: * diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome in the last 3 months. * prior history of persistent or permanent atrial or flutter fibrillation. * coexisting moderate to severe aortic valve regurgitation or moderate to severe mitral valve disease, bicuspid aortic valve. * left ventricular dilatation \[end-diastolic volume index \>75 mL/m²\]. * left ventricular ejection fraction \<55%. * chronic renal failure stage 3 to 5 defined as glomerular filtration rate GFR estimated by Cockcroft-Gault formula adjusted for body surface area \< 30 mL/min/1.73m². * moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease defined as forced expiratory volume in one second \<50% according to the 2011 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease guidelines. * active malignancy (i.e. With no evidence of recurrence and no longer receiving active treatment).