Influence of weight on left atrial volume in overweight or obese women: a cross sectional study.

Alessandra Carvalho Caldas; Ana Marice Teixeira Ladeia; Armenio Costa Guimaraes

Volume : VIII, Issue : IV, April - 2018

Influence of weight on left atrial volume in overweight or obese women: a cross sectional study.

Alessandra Carvalho Caldas, Ana Marice Teixeira Ladeia, Armenio Costa Guimaraes

Abstract :

Background: Obesity leads to metabolic and structural cardiac abnormalities, including left atrial remodeling, which causes increased atrial volume, therefore increasing the risk ofcardiovascular diseases such as AVC and acute coronary syndromes.Objective: To evaluate whether overweight and obesity are associated with increased left atrial size. Methods: In this cross–sectional study, we enrolled44 non–hypertensive women referred by the obesity clinic of EBMSP for a transthoracic echocardiography, from which we obtained data regardinglinear and longitudinal extent and volume of the left atrium (LA); diastolic and systolic dimensions, posterior and septal thickness, left ventricular mass, left ventricular ejection fraction, presence of segmental abnormalities, and morphology and competence of cardiac valves. Body weight, height, blood pressure and waist circumference (WC) measurements were performed. Results: In our study population, 84% were obese, with the mean age of 37 ± 10 years. We found a significant correlation between the LA volume index (LA volume/h) and the body weight (r = 0.4; p = 0.01). Similarly, the body mass index (BMI) correlated with the LAvolume (r = 0.4; p = 0.01) and the linear measurement of the LAD (r = 0.4; p = 0.01). In addition, we also demonstrated a positive correlation between waist circumferencewith both LA volume index (r=0,4; p = 0.006) and LA volume (r = 0,4; p = 0.01). Conclusion: Obesity showed association with left atrial volume in young women without comorbidities.