Airway Obstruction in Patients With Left-Ventricular Hypertrophy

Background: The relationship between left-ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), left-ventricular mass index (LVMI), body mass index (BMI), and their corresponding pulmonary function test parameters remains unknown. Methods: In this prospective observational study, we assessed the pulmonary function of subjects with LVH. The severity of airway obstruction was graded into five levels using the FEV₁% predicted value and the prevalence of obstruction with left-ventricular mass was also correlated. Results: Our study included 289 subjects [142 (49.1%) LVH and 147 (50.8%) non-LVH]. The mean age of subjects with LVH was 56 ± 17.8 years. Sixty-two subjects with normal BMI had LVH. One-hundred forty-two subjects with LVH underwent spirometry; 9 (6.3%), 16 (11.3%), 18 (12.7%), 49 (34.5%), and 48 (33.8%) had mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe, and very severe obstruction before the administration of bronchodilator, respectively. After bronchodilator administration, the numbers (n%) were 13 (9.15%), 17 (11.9%), 27 (19%), 52 (36.6%), and 30 (21.1%), respectively. There was a strong inverse relationship (r = -0.87, r = -0.86) for pre bronchodilator and post bronchodilator, respectively; R² = 0.76 and R² = 0.74 for pre and post bronchodilator respectively, P < .001 for both) between LVMI and FEV₁%. Conclusions: LVH was associated with high prevalence of obstructive pulmonary disease. The severity of obstruction was correlated with left-ventricular mass. The early screening of such underlying obstruction may help to reduce the risk of further complications.