Abstract
Background:
The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitudes and significances of the associations between adiposity and echocardiographically determined measures of left ventricular (LV) structure and function in a diverse cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults.
Methods:
Subjects were 1,350 adult men and women participants of the Hispanic Communities Health Study - Study of Latinos (HCHS-SOL) who enrolled in an ancillary study to determine cardiac structure and function by echocardiography. In addition to echocardiography, subjects were evaluated by extensive survey information, relevant physical measurements (to include bioelectrical impedance) and fasting blood assays.
Results:
The mean age was 56.1 years and 57% were female. Twenty-six percent were Mexican American, 25% Cuban American, 18% Dominican American, 17% Puerto Rican American, 8% Central American and 7% South American. Overall, the mean ejection fraction was 60.5%, while the mean stroke volume was 70 ml, end diastolic volume 83 ml, fractional shortening 31% and cardiac output 4.5 L/min. Results of multivariable linear regression adjusted for age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cigarette smoking, family history of coronary heart disease, C-reactive protein and chronic kidney disease revealed that each 1-unit increment in body mass index (BMI) and fat mass (FM) by impedance was associated with 0.64 and 0.25 (p < 0.01 for both) higher LV mass index (to height), while a 0.1 unit increment in the waist to hip ratio (WHR) was associated with 3.2 higher LV mass index. Concomitantly, each 1-unit increment in BMI and FM was associated with 7 and 3% (p < 0.01 for each) higher odds of LV hypertrophy, while a 0.1 unit increment in WHR was associated with 78% higher odds for LV hypertrophy (p < 0.01). On the other hand, none of these variables were significantly associated with ejection fraction. There were no significant interactions between the anthropometric variables and the different Hispanic groups for LV mass index or hypertrophy.
Conclusions:
Among Hispanics/Latinos from different cultural backgrounds, and by three measures of body composition (BMI, FM and WHR), higher levels of adiposity are significantly associated with higher LV mass indexed for height and the odds for hypertrophy, while not being associated with better or worse ejection fraction.