Obesity in Egyptian children : effect on cardiac function and dimensions

Abstract EN

Background : obesity is an increasingly common condition in industrialized and developing countries, affecting both adults and children and increasing the social burden due to incident cardiovascular disease.

Numerous studies suggested that obesity and increased Body Mass Index are risk factors for left ventricular hypertrophy which is proved to be independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Aim : this study proposed to define the effect of obesity in Egyptian children on cardiac function and dimensions also to investigate the possible relation between obesity and other co-morbid cardiovascular risk factors. Methods : the current study is a prospective descriptive study conducted from January 2009 to March 2010 and included 44 children with exogenous (simple) obesity aged from 4 to 16 years with a mean of 8.54 ± 2.4 years in addition to a healthy normal weight, matched age and sex 35 children as a control group.

All study groups underwent clinical examination, lipid profile in addition to meticulous echocardiography study with special concern to measurement of wall thickness, mass, mass index.

Ejection fraction, Fractional shortening, is volumetric relaxation time, E / A and myocardial performance index. Results : our results revealed that blood pressure was comparable in both groups and mean serum triglyceride level (though in the normal level) was significantly higher in the obese group with P = 0.035.

Also left ventricular wall thickness, mass and mass index were significantly higher in obese group compared to normal weight group with P value 0.001, 0.045 & 0.035 respectively.

Myocardial systolic function was comparable in both groups but diastolic function presented by is volumetric relaxation time and E / A was significantly different in favor for the control group.

We also observed a significant positive linear relationship between body mass index and both left ventricular thickness and left ventricular mass.

However by correlating cardiac dimension with the lipid profile no significant relation could be elicited. Conclusion : our data showed that obesity in the absence of dyslipidemia and hypertension (as co-morbid cardiovascular risk factors) is associated with increased left ventricular wall thickness and mass also it is a risk factor for left ventricle diastolic dysfunction.