Evaluation of the lipid parameters in chronic heart failure patients and their correlation with body mass index

Abstract

Background: Increased body mass index (BMI) is associated with dyslipidemia, but relevant data in patients with cardiac morbidity is scarce. This study assessed lipid parameters in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients and their statistical correlation with BMI.Methods: The retrospective study utilized data of CHF patients who visited Madhavbaug clinics in India between July-December 2018. Serum lipid profile noted were total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). Patients were classified based on BMI (normal, overweight, obese) and their mean lipid parameters were compared.Results: Out of 147 patients, 74.15% were males with mean age 59.15±10.28 years and mean BMI 26.69±4.97 kg/m2. 56 patients had normal BMI, 60 were overweight and 30 were obese. Mean TC, TG and LDL levels in the normal-BMI group were significantly lower than that in overweight and obese groups (p<0.05). Mean HDL and VLDL were found to be higher in overweight group as compared to that in normal-BMI and obese group (p<0.05). Weak positive correlations were found between BMI and TC (R=0.09, p>0.05), BMI and TG (R=0.07, p>0.05), BMI and LDL (R=0.09, p>0.05) as well as BMI and VLDL (R=0.02, p>0.05). There was inverse correlation seen between BMI and HDL (R=-0.12, p>0.05).Conclusions: Increase in BMI was associated with dyslipidemia in CHF patients. There was positive correlation of BMI with LDL, TG, TC as well as VLDL while there was negative correlation between BMI and HDL levels. Obesity may increase the dyslipidemia risk in CHF patients which may affect their prognosis.