Low risk of significant echocardiographic valvulopathy in patients treated with anorectic drugs.
BACKGROUND
Phentermine--fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine use for weight loss has been previously associated with increased prevalence of valvular heart disease. This association was initially based on small numbers of patients, limited data on dose and duration of drug therapy, and no correlation with matched controls.


METHODS
Our investigation involved 343 obese subjects enrolled in a prospective, strict weight loss, research protocol from September 1994 to September 1997. All subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiography for significant valvular lesions within a mean of 121 days from the manufacturer's announcement of the voluntary withdrawal of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine from the market. All echocardiograms were interpreted by 2 independent readers.


RESULTS
The study population included 281 females and 62 males with a mean age of 46.7+/-9.1 years and mean initial body mass index of 40.1+/-8.1 kg/m(2). Using the Food and Drug Administration's criteria, only 21 subjects (6.1%) had significant valvular lesions. Aortic regurgitation was detected in 18 subjects, mitral regurgitation in 3 subjects, and both aortic and mitral regurgitation in 1 subject; no one had severe regurgitation. Significant valvular disease did not correlate with age, gender, initial/ending body mass index, the drug dose, duration of drug therapy, or serotonin reuptake inhibitors.


CONCLUSIONS
Anorexigen therapy is associated with a low prevalence of significant valvular regurgitation. Late valvular abnormalities from drug treatment await long term prospective studies.
Burger
A J
AJ
Division of Cardiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Noninvasive Cardiology Laboratory, Baker-3, 1 Deaconess Road, Boston, MA 02215, USA. aburger@caregroup.harvard.edu
Charlamb
M J
MJ
Singh
S
S
Notarianni
M
M
Blackburn
G L
GL
Sherman
H B
HB
D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D010645:Phentermine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography
D001067:Appetite Depressants; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D005277:Fenfluramine; D010645:Phentermine