Abstract 9096: Young Adults With Early-Onset Cardiovascular Risk Factors Demonstrate Subclinical Alterations in Cardiac Morphology and Function

Abstract

Background: Overweight, hypertension and type 2 diabetes (risk factors) are associated with subclinical alterations in cardiac morphology and function in asymptomatic mature adults (age >40 years). However, the time and extent of these cardiac alterations is unknown in the young adult (age 21-40 years) population with increasing early-onset risk factors, possibly overlapping findings in cardiomyopathy. Hypothesis: Risk factors already cause subclinical cardiac alterations in asymptomatic young adults. Methods: Non-smoking nonathletic adults aged 21-40 years without cardiac history underwent MRI for assessment of cardiac morphology and function. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the independent association of risk factor related parameters with cardiac outcomes. Results: In total, 279 subjects (49% male, mean age 31±6 years) were included. After adjustment for age, gender and height, all risk factors had significant impact on cardiac outcomes (Table+Figure). Most importantly, higher body mass index was associated with increases in left ventricular (LV) mass (ß=1.30), end-diastolic volumes (EDV) (LV, ß=1.82) and stroke volume (ß=1.04). Further, systolic blood pressure was positively associated with LV mass (ß=0.52), mass-volume ratio (ß=0.0024), stroke volume (ß=0.26) and LV ejection fraction (ß=0.073), and HbA1c with LV mass (ß=0.30) and right ventricular EDV (ß=0.43). Conclusions: In aysmptomatic young adults without cardiovascular disease, risk factors are associated with subclinical cardiac alterations. These alterations should be considered when evaluating clinical scans in young adults to avoid misdiagnosis.