Relation between Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Echocardiographic Index of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with a variety of diseases and increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the obesity index and diastolic function parameters of the left ventricle. We use body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) as the obesity index. METHODS: From January 2010 to December 2012, 390 cases (283 men, 109 women) were enrolled in this study. The blood pressure, height, weight, blood test, personal habits questionnaire, and echocardiographic indices were obtained. We analyzed the echocardiographic indices of left ventricular diastolic function with BMI and WC. RESULTS: The left ventricle (LV) mass index (P=0.007), LV dimension (P<0.01), A (P<0.01), A' (P=0.030), and E/E' (P=0.006) were higher, and E (P=0.003), E' (P<0.01), E/A (P<0.01) were lower in the overweight and obese groups than in the normal group. On multiple linear regression analysis, E/E' correlated positively with age, gender, BMI and systolic blood pressure. In men, E/E' correlated positively with age and BMI or WC. In women, only age had a positive correlation with E/E'. CONCLUSION: In men, increased BMI or waist circumference are associated with an increase in E/E', which surrogates left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. In women, obesity and abdominal obesity have no correlation with E/E'.