Left and right ventricular function by echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging, carotid intima-media thickness, and asymmetric dimethyl arginine levels in obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of our study was to assess left ventricle and right ventricle systolic and diastolic functions in obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome using conventional echocardiography and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging and to investigate carotis intima-media thickness, and asymmetric dimethyl arginine levels.

Methods: A total of 198 obese adolescents were enrolled in the study. The obese patients were divided into metabolic syndrome group and non-metabolic syndrome group. All subjects underwent laboratory blood tests, including asymmetric dimethyl arginine, complete two-dimensional, pulsed, and tissue Doppler echocardiography, and measurement of the carotid intima-media thickness.

Results: Obese adolescents were characterised by enlarged left end-diastolic, end-systolic and left atrial diameters, thicker left and right ventricular walls compared with non-obese adolescents. The metabolic syndrome group had normal left ventricle systolic function, impaired diastolic function, and altered global systolic and diastolic myocardial performance. In the metabolic syndrome obese group patients, left ventricle mass was found positively correlated with body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, diastolic blood pressure, age, and waist-to-hip circumference ratio. The carotid intima-media thickness was found positively correlated with waist and hip circumferences and total cholesterol levels. Asymmetric dimethyl arginine levels were found positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, waist-to-hip circumference ratio, and diastolic blood pressure.

Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that metabolic syndrome in adolescence is associated with significant changes in myocardial geometry and function. In addition, it has been associated with a high level of asymmetric dimethyl arginine concentration and thicker carotid intima-media thickness reflecting endothelial dysfunction.

Keywords: Adolescent; asymmetric dimethyl arginine; cardiovascular disease; carotid intima-media thickness; metabolic syndrome.