title: Effects of weight loss on ventricular systolic and diastolic functions and left ventricular mass assessed by tissue doppler imaging in obese geriatric women: preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is one of the most common diseases in the world. Particularly in elderly subjects, the effects of weight loss on cardiac functions have not been previously investigated by means of pulsed wave tissue doppler imaging (PWTDI). Using PWTDI, we examined the effects of weight loss on cardiac functions and left ventricular (LV) mass in obese geriatric women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen obese women aged 66-83 years (mean age 71.2+/-4.9 yrs) with a body mass index 35.6-49 kg/m2 (mean body mass index 39.9+/-4.3 kg/m2) were evaluated by echocardiography and PWTDI. Only subjects with uncomplicated obesity were included. All measurements, including anthropometric variables, systolic and diastolic indices, and LV mass, were made before and after a 6-month Orlistat plus hypocaloric diet. Myocardial systolic wave (Sm) velocity, isovolumic acceleration (IVA), myocardial precontraction time (PCTm) and the PCTm to contraction time (CTm) ratio were calculated as systolic indices. Early diastolic wave (Em), late diastolic wave (Am), Em to Am ratio, myocardial relaxation time (RTm), deceleration time (DT) and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) were determined as diastolic measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects lost an average of 8.4+/-1.2 kg. LV mass decreased significantly after weight loss (p<0.001). In addition, IVRT decreased significantly (p=0.038). Only RTm decreased significantly (p=0.016), whereas other PWTDI parameters of LV remained the same. In the right ventricle, Sm velocity, IVA, Em, and Am velocities were similar. However, the PCTm to Am ratio decreased significantly (p=0.006), and the Em to Am ratio increased (p=0.04) and RTm decreased significantly (p=0.016) after weight loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In obese geriatric women, weight loss improves ventricular diastolic functions and decreases LV mass. It also contributes to partial improvement in right ventricular systolic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Ankara University School of Medicine, Cebeci, Ankara, Turkey. mvarli2003@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varli
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turhan
authors.forename: Sevgi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aras
authors.forename: Teslime
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Atli
authors.forename: Gurbuz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erdogan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*