Lifestyle Changes for Abdominal Obesity Prevention and Encouraging Fruit Consumption May Be Beneficial in Preventing Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Sub-Saharan African and Maghreb

Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence showing a close correlation between left ventricular mass with cardiovascular morbidity and overall mortality. Therefore, identifying the determinants of left ventricular hypertrophy can be of great importance for cardiovascular prevention, for prognosis and therapeutic intervention. Objective: To assess the prevalence and identify the independent determinants of echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy in The MAGhreb and Sub-Saharan Africa Left-Ventricul ArGEometry Study (MAG-SALVAGES) participants. Methods: The MAG-SALVAGES is a community based study in which 100 asymptomatic Black Sub-Saharan African (BSSA) and 189 white skin Maghreb within the age of 18 to 55 years underwent a resting echocardiography. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was utilized to identify the independent determinants of LVH left ventricular hypertrophy. Results: Men represented the majority of the enrolled participants: 173 (59.9%). Echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy was seen in 10 (3.5%) participants. Age ≥40 years, female gender, overall obesity, abdominal obesity, hypertension status and less fruit consumption were significantly associated with echocardiography left ventricular hypertrophy. After adjusting for confounding factors, age ≥40 years, female gender, abdominal obesity and less fruit consumption were independently and significantly associated with echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, as illustrated in the following equation: Y = 0.36 + 0.162 age >40 years + 2.69 female gender + 2.52 abdominal How to cite this paper:

Deleterious Effect of Westernized Diet Pattern, Red Meat and High Salt Intake on Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Hypertensive Black Sub-Saharan Africans: A Multicentric Cross Sectional Study

“…Focusing on isolated nutrients certainly cannot account for all interactions and may result in erroneous conclusions [101], but research focusing on single foods items could improve mechanistic understanding of the effects of diet patterns [100]. In a previous biracial population based study, we found that reduced fruit consumption was independently and significantly associated with echocardiographic LVH [102]. Studies have shown an inverse association between fruit consumption and the risk of cardiovascular events [25,103].…”

Left Ventricular Measurements in Black Sub-Saharan Africans and White Maghreb

“…In reality, this overlooks the relationship between LV volume and wall thickness. The 2015 ASE guidelines for chamber quantification[29] describe a normal LV wall thickness (IVS or PW) as 0.6 -1.0 cm for males and 0.6 -0.9 cm for females. An increased wall thickness may be suggestive of LVH, but as an isolated number it gives no information about LVM or LV modeling.…”