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Published on: August 8, 2022
Relationship between Regional Fat Distribution and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Phenotype
Valeria Guglielmi1, Luciano Maresca2, Chiara Lanzillo3
1Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
Insights
Truncal fat, but not other regional fat depots, is linked to increased interventricular septum thickness in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. This suggests central adiposity may influence HCM phenotype, warranting further research.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Genetics
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common genetic heart disease, presenting with varied phenotypes.
- Body mass index (BMI) correlates with left ventricular (LV) mass and heart failure symptoms in HCM.
- Regional fat distribution's role in HCM hypertrophy severity and pattern remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between regional fat distribution (trunk, appendicular, epicardial) and hypertrophy severity in HCM.
- To explore potential links between specific fat depots and the hypertrophic pattern in HCM patients.
Main Methods:
- 32 HCM patients (22M/10F, 57.2±12.6 years) with predominant interventricular septum (IVS) hypertrophy underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance.
- Regional fat distribution was quantified using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
- Statistical analyses adjusted for age and gender to assess associations.
Main Results:
- Maximum IVS thickness correlated significantly with truncal fat (Tr-FAT), but not appendicular or epicardial fat.
- Epicardial fat showed an independent association with NT-proBNP levels.
- Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE)-positive subjects had greater IVS thickness, LV mass index, and NT-proBNP levels, without significant fat associations.
Conclusions:
- Truncal fat, not appendicular or epicardial fat, appears related to increased IVS thickness in this HCM cohort.
- Central adiposity may influence the hypertrophic phenotype in HCM.
- Further prospective studies are required to establish a causal link between central adiposity and HCM phenotype.
Background:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common genetic heart disease, is characterized by heterogeneous phenotypic expression. Body mass index has been associated with LV mass and heart failure symptoms in HCM. The aim of our study was to investigate whether regional (trunk, appendicular, epicardial) fat distribution and extent could be related to hypertrophy severity and pattern in HCM.
Methods:
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance was performed in 32 subjects with echocardiography-based diagnosis of HCM (22M/10F, 57.2±12.6 years) characterized by predominant hypertrophy at the interventricular septum (IVS). Regional fat distribution was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Results:
Gender differences were detected in maximum IVS thickness (M: 18.3±3.8 mm vs. F: 14.3±4 mm, p = 0.012), right ventricle (RV) systolic function (M: 61.3±6.7%; F: 67.5±6.3%, p = 0.048), indexed RV end-diastolic (M: 64.8±16.3 ml/m2; F: 50.7±15.5 ml/m2, p = 0.04) and end-systolic volumes (M: 24.3±8.3 ml/m2; F: 16.7±7.4 ml/m2, p = 0.04). After adjusting for age and gender, maximum IVS thickness was associated with truncal fat (Tr-FAT) (β = 0.43, p = 0.02), but not with either appendicular or epicardial fat. Epicardial fat resulted independently associated with NT-proBNP levels (β = 0.63, p = 0.04). Late Gadolinium Enhancement-positive subjects displayed greater maximum IVS thickness (p = 0.02), LV mass index (p = 0.015) and NT-proBNP levels (p = 0.04), but no associations with fat amount or distribution were observed.
Conclusion:
Truncal, but not appendicular or epicardial fat amount, seems to be related with maximum IVS thickness, the hallmark feature in our cohort of HCM patients. Further prospective researches are needed to assess a potential causative effect of central adiposity on HCM phenotype.
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