Relationship between normal heart size and body indices in Korean

We provided a curve-fit equation to predict the normal heart weight (g) in Koreans by examining 422 autopsies (215 males and 207 females, from newborn to age 77 yr) who were relatively in good general condition. Heart weight was well correlated with body surface area (m(2)), body weight (kg), and bo dy height (cm) but poorly with age in both sex. Heart weight progressively increased from birth to the earlier 3rd and 4th decades in male and female, respectively, and then gradually decreased; mean heart weight of all age g roup was greater in male than in female and significantly different from bi rth to 4th decade. In both sex, heart weight exponentially increased in acc ordance with the increase of body height, body weight, and body surface tin male, heart weight=0.00312Xbody height(2.239), r(2)=0.750, p<0.0001; in fe male, heart weight=0.00443Xbody height(2.170), r(2)=0.781, p<0.0001; in mal e, heart weight=9.22Xbody weight(0.853), r(2)=0.770, p<0.0001; in female, h eart weight=9.00Xbody weight(0.855), r(2)=0.820, p<0.0001; in male, heart w eight=155.18Xbody surface area(1.290), r(2)=0.808, p<0.0001; in female, hea rt weight=124.13Xbody surface area(1.242), r(2)=0.834, p<0.0001). These res ults indicate that heart weight is better correlated with body surface area than with body weight; however, body weight should be a better determinant of a predicted heart weight, since body surface area is entirely dependent on body height and body weight.