Effect of obesity and being overweight on long-term mortality in congestive heart failure: influence of left ventricular systolic function

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of obesity and being overweight on long-term mortality in congestive heart failure: influence of left ventricular systolic function

AU - Gustafsson, Finn

AU - Kragelund, Charlotte B

AU - Torp-Pedersen, Christian

AU - Seibaek, Marie

AU - Burchardt, Hans

AU - Akkan, Dilek

AU - Thune, Jens Jakob

AU - Køber, Lars

AU - DIAMOND Study Group

N1 - Keywords: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Female; Heart Failure; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity; Proportional Hazards Models; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

PY - 2004

Y1 - 2004

N2 - AIMS: Previous studies have suggested that a high body mass index (BMI) is associated with an improved outcome in congestive heart failure (CHF). However, the studies addressing this problem have not included enough patients with non-systolic heart failure to evaluate how left ventricular systolic function interacts with obesity on prognosis in CHF. The aim of this study was to evaluate how BMI influences mortality in patients hospitalized with CHF, and to address in particular whether the effect of BMI is influenced by left ventricular (LV) systolic function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective analysis of baseline and survival data for 4700 hospitalized CHF patients for whom BMI was available. LV systolic function, as assessed by wall motion index was available for 95% of the patients. Follow-up time ranged from 5 to 8 years. In the total population, the risk of death decreased steadily with increasing BMI from the underweight to the obese. Compared with normal weight, and adjusted for sex and age, risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence limits were: underweight 1.56 (1.33-1.84), overweight 0.90 (0.83-0.97), obese 0.77 (0.70-0.86). Being underweight conferred a greater risk in CHF patients with normal systolic function [RR 1.66 (1.29-2.14), compared with normal weight] than in patients with reduced systolic function [RR 1.11 (0.87-1.42), P for interaction 0.03]. In patients with systolic dysfunction, obesity was associated with increased risk compared with normal weight [RR 1.21 (1.01-1.45)]. CONCLUSION: Increasing BMI in CHF is associated with a lower mortality, but the influence is complex and depends on left ventricular systolic function. Hence, in patients with systolic dysfunction obesity may indicate an increased risk.

AB - AIMS: Previous studies have suggested that a high body mass index (BMI) is associated with an improved outcome in congestive heart failure (CHF). However, the studies addressing this problem have not included enough patients with non-systolic heart failure to evaluate how left ventricular systolic function interacts with obesity on prognosis in CHF. The aim of this study was to evaluate how BMI influences mortality in patients hospitalized with CHF, and to address in particular whether the effect of BMI is influenced by left ventricular (LV) systolic function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective analysis of baseline and survival data for 4700 hospitalized CHF patients for whom BMI was available. LV systolic function, as assessed by wall motion index was available for 95% of the patients. Follow-up time ranged from 5 to 8 years. In the total population, the risk of death decreased steadily with increasing BMI from the underweight to the obese. Compared with normal weight, and adjusted for sex and age, risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence limits were: underweight 1.56 (1.33-1.84), overweight 0.90 (0.83-0.97), obese 0.77 (0.70-0.86). Being underweight conferred a greater risk in CHF patients with normal systolic function [RR 1.66 (1.29-2.14), compared with normal weight] than in patients with reduced systolic function [RR 1.11 (0.87-1.42), P for interaction 0.03]. In patients with systolic dysfunction, obesity was associated with increased risk compared with normal weight [RR 1.21 (1.01-1.45)]. CONCLUSION: Increasing BMI in CHF is associated with a lower mortality, but the influence is complex and depends on left ventricular systolic function. Hence, in patients with systolic dysfunction obesity may indicate an increased risk.

U2 - 10.1093/eurheartj/ehi022

DO - 10.1093/eurheartj/ehi022

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 15615800

SN - 0195-668X

VL - 26

SP - 58

EP - 64

JO - European Heart Journal

JF - European Heart Journal

IS - 1

ER -