The impact of visceral and general obesity on vascular and left ventricutar function and geometry: a cross-sectional magnetic resonance imaging study of the UK Biobank

Hout, M.J.P. van; Dekkers, I.A.; Westenberg, J.J.M.; Schalij, M.J.; Scholte, A.J.H.A.; Lamb, H.J. (2020)

Article / Letter to editor

Aims We aimed to evaluate the associations of body fat distribution with cardiovascular function and geometry in the middle-aged general population.Methods and results Four thousand five hundred and ninety participants of the UK Biobank (54% female, mean age 61.1 +/- 7.2 years) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance for assessment of left ventricular (LV) parameters [end-diastolic volume (EDV), ejection fraction (EF), cardiac output (CO), and index (CI)] and magnetic resonance imaging for body composition analysis [subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT)]. Body fat percentage (BF%) was assessed by bioetectrical impedance. Linear regressions were performed to assess the impact of visceral (VAT) and general (SAT and BF%) obesity on cardiac function and geometry. Visceral obesity was associated with a smaller EDV [VAT: beta -1.74 (-1.15 to -2.33)1, lower EF NAT: beta -0.24 (-0.12 to -0.35), SAT: beta 0.02 (-0.04 to 0.08), and BF%: beta 0.02 (-0.02 to 0.06)] and the strongest negative association with CI [VAT: beta -0.05 (-0.06 to -0.04), SAT: beta -0.02 (-0.03 to -0.01), and BF% beta -0.01 (-0.013 to -0.007)]. In contrast, general obesity was associated with a larger EDV [SAT: beta 1.01 (0.72-1.30), BF%: beta 0.37 (0.23-0.51)] and a higher CO [SAT: beta 0.06 (0.05-0.07), BF%: beta 0.02 (0.01-0.03)]. In the gender-specific analysis, only men had a significant association between VAT and EF [beta -0.35 (-0.19 to -0.51)].Conclusions Visceral obesity was associated with a smaller LV EDV and subclinical lower LV systolic function in men, suggesting that visceral obesity might play a more important role compared to general obesity in LV remodelling.

• Obesity
• Body fat distribution
• Visceral adipose tissue
• Left ventricular function
• Left ventricular geometry
• Magnetic resonance imaging

• All authors: Hout, M.J.P. van; Dekkers, I.A.; Westenberg, J.J.M.; Schalij, M.J.; Scholte, A.J.H.A.; Lamb, H.J.
• Date: 2020-03-01
• Journal: European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 273 - 281
• DOI: doi:10.1093/ehjci/jez279
• Link: https://academic.oup.com/ehjcimaging/article/21/3/273/5625093