Left and right ventricular structural changes in obese hypertensives

Aim. Obesity is known to be independently related to left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH); however, in human hypertension the association of obesity with right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) is still unsettled. We investigated the relationship of obesity with RVH and biventricular hypertrophy in essential hypertension. Methods. A cohort of untreated and treated uncomplicated essential hypertensives consecutively attending a hospital outpatient hypertension clinic, categorized in three groups according to body mass index (BMI) thresholds (<25, 25-29.9 and ≥30 kg/m2) was considered for the present analysis. RVH was defined by an anterior RV wall thickness equal or higher than 3.1/3.0 mm/m2 in men and women, respectively, and LVH by LV mass index (LVMI) equal or higher than 51 and 47 g/m2.7 in men and women, respectively. Results. A total of 124 patients (37.6%) had normal BMI, 151 patients (45.7%) were overweight and 55 (16.7%) obese. Prevalence rates of biventricular hypertrophy (i.e. LVMI>51 and 47 g/m2.7 and RVWT>3.1 and 3.0 mm) in the three groups were 7.3%, 21.2% and 32.7%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, BMI (OR = 3.58, 95% CI 1.82-7.03, p = 0.0002), was the most important correlate of biventricular hypertrophy. Conclusions. Our findings extend previous data on the impact of obesity on cardiac structure by showing that this phenotype is strongly associated with biventricular hypertrophy.