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Relationship between cardiac function and insulin resistance in obese patients
G M Trovato1, D Catalano, G Caruso
1Istituto di Medicina Interna e Terapia Medica, Università di Catania, Italy. guglielmotrovato@unict.it
Diabetes, Nutrition & Metabolism
|February 21, 2002
Summary
Overweight and insulin resistance contribute to cardiovascular disease. In mild obesity, insulin resistance correlates with heart function changes, not body mass, suggesting metabolic factors impact cardiac health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Overweight and insulin resistance are independent risk factors for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
- Obesity is associated with metabolic disturbances, including insulin resistance, which can affect cardiovascular health.
- Understanding the interplay between obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiac function is crucial for disease prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between insulin resistance and cardiac function and dimensions in individuals with varying degrees of obesity.
- To determine if insulin resistance or body mass index (BMI) is more strongly associated with cardiac alterations.
- To explore potential compensatory mechanisms or early signs of cardiac damage in obese individuals with insulin resistance.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 39 patients (26 women, 13 men) with a BMI range of 26.1-41 kg/m², excluding those with diabetes, hypertension, or heart, liver, or kidney diseases.
- Assessed insulin sensitivity using the Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT) to calculate K(ITT).
- Evaluated cardiac function and dimensions using echocardiography, including ejection fraction (EF%).
Main Results:
- No significant differences in K(ITT) or ejection fraction (EF%) were found between groups with mild obesity (overweight/grade I) and severe obesity (grade II/III).
- No correlation was observed between BMI and EF% or other echocardiographic measurements across all participants.
- A significant negative correlation between EF% and K(ITT) was found in patients with mild obesity (r = -0.62, p < 0.001), indicating impaired cardiac function with increased insulin resistance.
Conclusions:
- In mild obesity, cardiac function changes are linked to the degree of insulin resistance, not solely to body mass or dimensions.
- Metabolic or endocrine factors are likely involved in the observed relationship between insulin resistance and cardiac function.
- Increased EF% in moderately obese, insulin-resistant patients may represent an initial compensatory response that could potentially lead to later cardiac damage.