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The Impact of Obesity on Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Diastolic Function in Caucasian Children

Delia Mercea1, Raluca Ianos1, Călin Pop1

  • 1Emergency County Hospital "Dr Constantin Opris", Baia Mare, Romania.

Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders
|December 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity is linked to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a thickening of the heart muscle. However, early signs of diastolic dysfunction were not found in obese children compared to normal-weight peers.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Obesity Research

Background:

  • Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and diastolic dysfunction are known complications of obesity and hypertension in adults.
  • Limited research exists on the direct impact of childhood obesity on left ventricular function.
  • This study addresses the gap by investigating obesity's effect on pediatric cardiac structure and function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of obesity and LVH on left ventricular diastolic function in children.
  • To compare cardiac function in pediatric subjects with and without obesity.
  • To identify early cardiac changes associated with childhood obesity.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 454 pediatric patients (33 obese, 20 overweight, 401 normal weight).
  • Standardized two-dimensional echocardiography to assess interventricular septum thickness, posterior wall thickness, and left atrium size.
  • Analysis of left ventricular diastolic function using pulsed-wave Doppler, tissue Doppler, and continuous Doppler techniques.

Main Results:

  • Obese children showed significantly increased interventricular septum and posterior wall thickness (LVH) compared to non-obese children (P < 0.001).
  • Left ventricular systolic function remained preserved in both obese and non-obese groups.
  • No significant early alterations in left ventricular diastolic function were detected in obese children.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood obesity is associated with significant myocardial structural changes, specifically LVH.
  • Despite LVH, early diastolic dysfunction was not observed in obese children in this cohort.
  • Further research is needed to understand long-term cardiac implications of obesity-related LVH in pediatric populations.

Keywords:
blood pressurebody mass indexchildrendiastolic functionleft ventricular hypertrophyobesity

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