Myocardial perfusion image in asymptomatic postmenopausal women with physical inactivity and overweight

This study aimed to investigate whether physical inactivity and overweight deteriorate myocardial perfusion and cardiac function in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.

A prospective cross-sectional study design was used. Postmenopausal women recruited in this study were categorized into groups based on activity level and BMI: physically active, normal-weight group (PANw, n = 15, 60.9 ± 6.0 years), physically inactive, normal-weight group (PIANw, n = 13, 57.2 ± 5.0 years) and physically inactive, overweight group (PIAO, n = 26, 58.5 ± 5.8 years). Each subject took cardiopulmonary function tests and ECG-gated exercise (201)Tl myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Perfusion abnormalities, cardiac function indices, and (201)Tl lung-to- heart ratio (LHR) were derived.

The PIANw women had lower exercise capacity than PANw women. More subjects in PIANw (46%) or PIAO (48%) groups had worsening in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by exercise than subjects in PANw (7%) group. The PIAO women exhibited significantly lower exercise capacity and higher rest LHR than PANw women (LHR 0.41 ± 0.05 vs. 0.36 ± 0.06; p = 0.014). Abnormal MPI tended to increase in PIANw (38%) and PIAO (46%) women when compared with the PANw (27%) group.

Physically inactive, overweight postmenopausal women had higher rest (201)Tl lung uptake and worsening LVEF by exercise and tended to have higher prevalence of inducible ischemia, suggesting higher cardiovascular risks although asymptomatic.