Obesity promotes left ventricular concentric rather than eccentric geometric remodeling and hypertrophy independent of blood pressure.

BACKGROUND

As it is uncertain whether excess adiposity promotes primarily concentric or eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), we aimed to determine at a population level, the independent relationship between waist circumference (WC) and LV geometric changes and the potential hemodynamic mechanisms thereof.

METHODS

We assessed the relations between WC and LV end-diastolic diameter (EDD), LV mean wall thickness (MWT = posterior + septal wall thickness/2), LV relative wall thickness (RWT = MWT/EDD), LV mass index (LVMI), concentric LVH (LVMI > 51 g/m2.7 and RWT > 0.45), eccentric LVH (LVMI > 51 g/m2.7 and RWT < 0.45), or concentric LV remodeling (normal LVMI and RWT > 0.45), in 309 never treated for hypertension, randomly recruited adult participants with a high prevalence of excess adiposity ( approximately 25% overweight; 38% obese). Pulse-wave analysis was performed to determine central artery blood pressures (BPs). Two hundred and thirty-one participants had high-quality ambulatory BP monitoring.

RESULTS

Approximately 7% of participants had concentric LVH, approximately 16% concentric LV remodeling, and approximately 15% eccentric LVH. After adjustments for potential confounders including conventional systolic BP (SBP), WC was related to MWT (partial r = 0.23, P = 0.0001), RWT (partial r = 0.13, P = 0.03), concentric LVH (P < 0.04), concentric LV remodeling (P = 0.02), but not with EDD or eccentric LVH (P = 0.91). Similar outcomes were noted after adjustments for central or 24-h SBP, and for conventional, central, or 24-h pulse pressure. Separate analysis in normotensive subjects revealed similar outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

In a population sample with a high prevalence of obesity, excess adiposity promotes concentric, rather than eccentric LV geometric changes, effects which are independent of conventional, central artery or 24-h BP measured on a single occasion.