Influence of Overweight on Cardiac Function Examined by Echocardiography

The effects of overweight on right and left ventricular function in the absence of associated cardiovascular disease are not well known. In the present study, we assessed the influence of overweight on systolic and diastolic function of 314 normal subjects, ranging from 30 to 59 years, by a Doppler echocardiography. The ratio of A wave to E wave of left and right ventricular inflow (LV E/A, RV E/A) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured. LV E/A, RV E/A and LVEF correlated inversely with body mass index (BMI) (p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.05 respectively). LV E/A, RV E/A and LVEF were also significantly lower in the overweight group (BMI≧25) than those in the normal weight group (BMI