The Relationships between Body Mass Index and Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in a Structurally Normal Heart with...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Obesity Research

Background:

• Asians have a higher risk of cardiovascular events than Western populations at similar BMIs.
• Research is needed to understand weight's effect on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in Asians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the impact of body weight on LV diastolic function in an Asian population.
• To assess the relationship between BMI and diastolic dysfunction markers.

Main Methods:

• 543 participants with normal heart structure and ejection fraction were studied.
• Participants were categorized by BMI: normal (<23.0 kg/m²), overweight (23.0-27.4 kg/m²), and obese (≥27.5 kg/m²).
• Key diastolic function parameters including E velocity, A velocity, and E' velocity were measured; E/E' ratio was calculated.

Main Results:

• Overweight and obese individuals exhibited reduced E and E' velocities compared to normal-weight individuals.
• Obese participants showed a significantly higher E/E' ratio.
• Higher BMI was independently associated with impaired diastolic function (lower E', higher A, and higher E/E' ratio).
• The risk of diastolic dysfunction was substantially higher in overweight and obese groups.

Conclusions:

• Overweight and obesity are independent predictors of diastolic dysfunction in Asians.
• Current universal BMI cut-offs may not be optimal for this demographic.
• A lower optimal body weight threshold is suggested for preventing LV heart failure in Asians.