Cardiac remodeling and subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in adults with uncomplicated obesity: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study

Background: Obesity often exists alongside comorbidities and increases the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular mortality. However, the specific effects of obesity on cardiac structure and function have not been clarified. This study set out to evaluate left ventricular (LV) geometric and functional changes using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in adults with uncomplicated obesity. Methods: Forty-eight patients with uncomplicated obesity [body mass index (BMI) mean +/- SD: 29.8 +/- 2.1 kg/m(2)] and 25 healthy controls were included in this study. GVIR was used to assess LV geometry, global systolic function, and strains, and to quantify epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). Body composition was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Results: Compared with healthy controls, patients with obesity had increased LV size, mass, and myocardial thickness, and impaired myocardial contractility, with lower global radial, circumferential, and longitudinal peak strains (PS), and circumferential and longitudinal peak diastolic strain rates (PDSR; all P<0.05). Multivariable linear regression showed that BMI was independently associated with LV maximum myocardial thickness (LVMMT) (beta=0.197, P=0.016). Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was independently associated with LV global longitudinal PS (beta=-2.684, P=0.001), and both longitudinal (beta=-0.192, P=0.002) and circumferential (beta.-0.165, P=0.014) PDSR. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was mildly correlated with BMI (r=0.327) and body fat percentage (BF%) (r=0.295) in patients with obesity (all P<0.05). HOMA-IR was independently associated with LV global circumferential (beta=-0.276, P=0.04) and PDSR (beta=-0.036, P=0.026). Conclusions: Extensive LV geometric remodeling and marked changes in cardiac strains were observed in adults with obesity. Tissue tracking with CMR can reveal subclinical impaired ventricular function with preserved LV ejection fraction in such patients. MIL was independently related to LV remodeling in obesity. HOMA-IR and VAT are potentially superior to BMI as predictors of subclinical dysfunction, assessed by strain, in obesity.

Automated summary

In this study, adults with obesity were found to have extensive LV geometric remodeling and marked changes in cardiac strains, which could be revealed by CMR. Factors such as visceral adipose tissue and insulin resistance were potentially superior predictors of subclinical dysfunction in obesity compared to BMI.