title: Assessment of systemic right ventricular function in adult overweight and obese patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries the right ventricle (RV) supports systemic circulation, and patients are prone to develop heart failure over time. Chronic volume overload secondary to obesity may contribute to premature dysfunction of the systemic RV.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to assess the systemic RV function in overweight/obese adult patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transthoracic echocardiographic studies and laboratory testing (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP] assessment) were performed in patients with congenitally corrected transposition, who were scheduled for a routine examination, and the body mass index was calculated for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 56 adults (31 men; mean age 33.9 years); 22 of whom were overweight (body mass index [BMI] of 25-29.9 kg/m²) or obese (BMI of 30 kg/m² or more), and 34 of whom were normal weight (BMI below 25 kg/m²). Age, gender, heart rate, and blood pressure were similar in both groups. The mean NT-proBNP levels were not significantly different. On echocardiography, the overweight/obese patients had a decreased systemic RV fractional area change (0.38) compared to normal weight patients (0.43); p = 0.02. Moreover, a significant reduction in the global longitudinal strain in the overweight/obese group was observed (-15.3% vs. -18.3%; p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overweight/obesity in adult patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries is associated with impaired systemic RV function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Congenital Heart Disease, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland. ewa.kowalik@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kowalik
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klisiewicz
authors.forename: Elżbieta K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Biernacka
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain
keywords: congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries; echocardiography; obesity; systemic right ventricle