Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Heart weight and heart weight/body weight coefficient in malnourished adults

Daniel Ferreira da Cunha1, Selma Freire de Carvalho da Cunha, Marlene Antônia dos Reis

  • 1Faculdade de Medicina do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba. dfcuntro@mednet.com.br

Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia
|May 16, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Chronic malnutrition in adults is associated with lighter hearts and a higher heart weight to body weight ratio. This suggests potential myocardial preservation despite significant weight loss.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Chronic malnutrition significantly impacts various physiological systems.
  • Understanding cardiac adaptations in malnutrition is crucial for clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare heart weight and heart weight/body weight coefficient in adults with and without chronic malnutrition.
  • To investigate potential cardiac remodeling in response to malnutrition.

Main Methods:

  • Autopsy data from 210 adults were analyzed.
  • Exclusion criteria included specific diseases and conditions.
  • Malnutrition defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) <18.5kg/m2; heart weight/body weight coefficient (HW/BW x 100) calculated.

Main Results:

  • Malnourished group (n=15) had lower BMI (15.9±1.7 vs 21.3±2.5kg/m2) and heart weight (267.3±59.8 vs 329.1±50.4g) compared to controls (n=21).
  • Malnourished individuals exhibited a higher HW/BW coefficient (0.64±0.12% vs 0.57±0.09%).
  • Significant positive correlations found between heart weight and BMI (r=0.52), and heart weight and body weight (r=0.65).

Conclusions:

  • Adults with chronic malnutrition present with lighter hearts and an elevated HW/BW coefficient.
  • Findings suggest possible myocardial preservation mechanisms in malnutrition.
  • Increased relative cardiac connective tissue and vasculature may contribute to observed changes.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging06:48

Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging

Published on: June 7, 2024

Non-invasive Skeletal Muscle Quantification in Small Animals Using Micro-computed Tomography07:33

Non-invasive Skeletal Muscle Quantification in Small Animals Using Micro-computed Tomography

Published on: November 8, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Weighted Mean00:57

Weighted Mean

While taking the arithmetic, geometric, or harmonic mean of a sample data set, equal importance is assigned to all the data points. However, all the values may not always be equally important in some data sets. An intrinsic bias might make it more important to give more weightage to specific values over others.
For example, consider the number of goals scored in the matches of a tournament. While computing the average number of goals scored in the tournament, it may be more important to...
Coefficient of Correlation01:12

Coefficient of Correlation

The correlation coefficient, r, developed by Karl Pearson in the early 1900s, is numerical and provides a measure of strength and direction of the linear association between the independent variable x and the dependent variable y.
If you suspect a linear relationship between x and y, then r can measure how strong the linear relationship is.
What the VALUE of r tells us:
The value of r is always between –1 and +1: –1 ≤ r ≤ 1.
The size of the correlation r indicates the strength of the linear...
Imbalances in Cardiac Output01:26

Imbalances in Cardiac Output

The heart's primary function is to pump blood throughout the body, maintaining a balance between blood sent out (cardiac output) and blood returning (venous return). If this balance is disrupted, it can result in congestive heart failure (CHF), a severe condition where the heart becomes an inefficient pump, leading to inadequate blood circulation.
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send blood...
Heart Failure I: Introduction01:27

Heart Failure I: Introduction

Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies01:22

Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies

Additional therapies for treating patients with heart failure (HF) may include procedural interventions, supplemental oxygen, the management of sleep disorders, and nutritional therapy.Procedural InterventionsImplantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator: For patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to severe left ventricular dysfunction, an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) can detect and terminate these arrhythmias, preventing sudden cardiac death and improving survival rates.
Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions01:30

Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions

The first step in nursing management of a patient with heart failure involves thoroughly assessing the patient's medical history.Subjective Data: Obtain the patient's medical history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and symptoms like dyspnea, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.Objective Data: Conduct a physical examination to identify findings such as jugular vein distention, pulmonary crackles, tachycardia, murmurs, peripheral edema, and vital signs,...