title: Left ventricular mass: correlation with fatness, hemodynamics and renal morphology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Left ventricular mass (LVM) is correlated with body composition and central hemodynamics as well as kidney function. Recently, fat-free mass has been considered to be more strongly correlated with LVM in comparison to other descriptors of fatness. We therefore address the question of whether comprehensive descriptors of fatness, central hemodynamics and renal characteristics demonstrate the association with left ventricular mass in healthy non-obese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  119 healthy non-obese subjects (53 females, 66 males, mean age 50 yrs) were evaluated. Central hemodynamics was measured by Pulse Wave Analysis, left ventricular mass was assessed by echocardiography, fatness was evaluated by anthropometry, bioimpedance, and ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) correlated to the same extent with central and peripheral blood pressure but not with descriptors of wave reflection. Fat-free mass as well as intraabdominal fat correlated to a similar extent with LVMI. Kidney morphological characteristics indexed to body surface area were associated inversely and independently with LVMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comprehensive assessment of fatness reinforced the concept that intraabdominal fat compartment is strongly correlated with left ventricular mass. Descriptors of wave reflection are not associated with left ventricular mass. The interrelationsh between kidney morphology and LVMI indicates that such associations may be a biologically plausible phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University School of Medicine, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wykrętowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University School of Medicine, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katulska
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology - Intensive Therapy, University School of Medicine, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology - Intensive Therapy, University School of Medicine, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krauze
keywords: Abdominal Fat; Hemodynamics; Kidney; Ultrasonography; Ventricular Function, Left