PHYSIQUE AND ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC DIMENSIONS IN CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG-ADULTS

Relationships between echocardiographic dimensions and the Heath-Carte r anthropometric somatotype were considered in healthy, non-obese chil dren (8-11 year olds, n = 143), adolescents (12-15 year olds, ii = 216 ) and young adults (16-24 years, n = 190). Cardiac dimensions, measure d by M-mode echocardiography al end-diastole, included left ventricula r internal diameter (LVIDd), posterior wall thickness (PWTd), and inte rventricular posterior wall thickness (STd). Left ventricular mass (LV M) and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) were estimated. P artial correlations between cardiac dimensions and each somatotype com ponent were calculated, controlling for age and the other two componen ts. Only 9 out OF 45 correlations in males and 7 of 45 correlations in females were significant (p less than or equal to 0.05). LVM, LVEDV. and LVIDd were significantly related to somatotype in males. demonstra ting significant positive correlations with mesomorphy (r = 0.25, 0.29 and 0.29, respectively) and ectomorphy (ir = 0.22, 0.37, and 0.37, re spectively), and LVEDV and LVIDd were related to endomorphy (I = 0.24 and 0.25, respectively) in 8-11 year old boys. In 8-11 year old Female s, endomorphy was related to STd (r = 0.41) and LVM (r = 0.34), while mesomorphy was related to PWTd (r = -0.34) and ectomorphy was related to PWTd (r = -0.36). In 12-15 year old females, mesomorphy was related to STd (r = 0.26) and in 16-24 year old females, endomorphy was relat ed to LVIDd (r = 0.29) and LVEDV (r = 0.32). Overall, the correlations between somatotype and cardiac dimensions were low, ranging from -0.3 6 to +0.41, with no clear pattern in either sex. Additionally, a backw ard stepwise regression analysis indicated that body size was more imp ortant in predicting echocardiographic dimensions than somatotype. Thu s, physique, as estimated with the Heath-Carter anthropometric somatot ype. is not related to echocardiographic dimensions in children, youth s and young adults.