Abstract 11988: Waist Circumference and Systolic Blood Pressure Are Predictors of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Healthy Individuals

Introduction: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is considered to be a cause of heart failure. Previous studies indicated that patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obesity might be at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about which MetS factors contribute to the development of LVH in healthy adults. Hypothesis: The aim of this study was to identify factors related to CVD and major organ dysfunction that could act as predictors of LVH based on thorough medical examinations of healthy subjects. Methods: A total of 1056 participants without diabetes mellitus, systolic dysfunction, chronic kidney disease, or other heart diseases underwent a thorough physical examination including transthoracic echocardiography. LV mass index (LVMI) ≥ 51 g/m2.7 was considered LVH. Single and multiple logistic regression analyses of LVMI and cardiovascular risk factors, including MetS factors and indicators of major organ dysfunction, were performed. Obese subjects (WC ≥ 85 cm in males and ≥ 90 cm in females) and non-obese subjects were also analyzed separately. Results: A total of 980 adults (age 62.8 ± 12.7 y, male 573) were analyzed, and LVH was observed in 21.5% of subjects (n = 211, male 155). Overall, 33.0% (43 of 434) of obese subjects had LVH. LVH was correlated with age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic BP, estimated glomerular filtration rate, total bilirubin, fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, and WC. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that age, high SBP (≥130 mmHg) and WC were independent predictors of LVMI (odds ratios 1.05, 1.99, 3.03; 95% confidence intervals 1.01-1.06, 1.42-2.79, 2.16-4.25, respectively, P<0.01). In obese subjects, aging, WC, and high SBP were independent predictors of LVMI, but WC was not an independent predictor of LVMI in non-obese subjects. Moreover, the average WC was significantly higher in both males and females in obese (47.7 ± 13.5, 47.9 ± 14.1 g/m2.7) than in non-obese subjects (41.1 ± 10.3, 37.8 ± 10.1 g/m2.7). Conclusions: WC and SBP are independent risk factors for LHV in healthy individuals and, therefore, might be useful for predicting cardiovascular disease during routine physical checkups.