Left ventricular concentric remodeling rather than left ventricular hypertrophy is related to the insulin resistance syndrome in elderly men.

BACKGROUND

Associations between left ventricular (LV) geometry and the insulin resistance syndrome have been found, mostly in small studies of middle-aged hypertensives. The purpose of this study was to elucidate these associations through the use of a large sample of elderly men.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We investigated 475 men (157 hypertensives) 71 years of age who were attending a population-based health survey in Uppsala County with echocardiography, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, and lipid and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. LV relative wall thickness was significantly related to clamp insulin sensitivity index (r=-0.14), fasting insulin, 32-33 split proinsulin, triglycerides, nonesterified fatty acids, OGTT glucose and insulin levels, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index, 24-hour blood pressure, and heart rate (r=0.10 to 0.22). Only 24-hour systolic pressure (r=0. 15), OGTT 2-hour insulin (r=-0.10), and heart rate (r=-0.14) were significantly related to LV mass index. Comparing subjects with various LV geometry (normal, concentric remodeling and concentric and eccentric hypertrophy) showed that 24-hour heart rate, OGTT glucose and insulin levels, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index were significantly higher (P<0.001 to 0.05) and clamp insulin sensitivity index was significantly lower (P<0.01) in the concentric remodeling geometry group than in the normal LV geometry group. The 24-hour blood pressure was significantly higher in the concentric hypertrophy group than in the normal LV geometry group (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Several components of the insulin resistance syndrome were related to thick LV walls and concentric remodeling but less to LV hypertrophy in this population-based sample of elderly men.