J. Sundstrom et al., Dyslipidemia and an unfavorable fatty acid profile predict left ventricular hypertrophy 20 years later, CIRCULATION, 103(6), 2001, pp. 836-841
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems","Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
Background-Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a common risk factor for c
ardiovascular mortality. Causes other than hypertension have not previously
been investigated longitudinally. The aim of the present study was to dete
rmine hemodynamic, metabolic, and psychosocial predictors at 50 years of ag
e for the prevalence of echocardiographic LVH and geometric subtypes at age
70 by use of a large sample of men from the general population followed up
fur 20 years.
Methods and Results-In 1970 to 1973, all men born from 1920 to 1924 and res
iding in Uppsala County, Sweden, were invited to participate in a health su
rvey aimed at identifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease. At a rei
nvestigation 20. years later, echocardiographic left ventricular mass index
was determined in 475 subjects. A 1-SD increase in body mass index, systol
ic or diastolic blood pressure, fasting LDL/HDL cholesterol, serum triglyce
rides, or the serum cholesterol ester proportion of several saturated fatty
acids or oleic acid at age 50 significantly increased the odds of having L
VH at age 70 by 27% to 41%, whereas an increase in linoleic acid proportion
was protective. Almost all metabolic predictors were independent of ischem
ic heart disease, valvular disease, and use of antihypertensive medication
at age 70.
Conclusions-Dyslipidemia and indic es of a low dietary intake of linoleic a
c id and high intake of saturated and monounsaturated fats, as well as hype
rtension and obesity, at age 50 predicted the prevalence of LVH 20 years la
ter in this prospective longitudinal cohort study, thereby suggesting that
lipids may be important in the origin of LVH.