Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology

Background: Diastolic dysfunction is a common cause of heart failure with preserved systolic function in obese patients.

Objective: To assess diastolic function in a series of overweight and obese patients using conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography.

Setting and method: University hospital; left ventricular diastolic function was evaluated in 99 patients (mean age 61.59 ± 13.9 years); body mass index and waist circumference were assessed, and patients were subdivided into three groups according to their body mass index (kg/m2): [normal, (18.5–24.9); overweight, (25–29.9); obese, (>29.9)]. Peak early (E) and late (A) transmitral flow and peak early (E) diastolic mitral annulus velocities were measured.

Results: Diastolic dysfunction was significantly higher in the overweight/obese groups compared to the normal body mass index group. The analysis was made with regard to waist circumference and other clinical characteristics, and multivariate regression analysis showed a direct and independent effect of body mass index on diastolic function [OR: 2.75; CI: 1.34–5.67; P = 0.006]. Discussion was made in view of the latest clinical data. Also, an insight into normal weight obesity is presented and discussed.

Conclusion: Overweight and obesity are found to have an independent negative impact on diastolic function as assessed by tissue Doppler imaging.