Low-carbohydrate diets and right ventricular structure and function: the MESA-Right Ventricle study

Abstract

Abstract Background The association between daily carbohydrate intake and right ventricular (RV) morphology has not been well studied. We aimed to figure out the relationship between daily carbohydrate intake and right ventricular structure and function in a large multiethnic population-based cohort. Methods The Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) -Right Ventricle Study measured RV mass and volumes by cardiac MRI in participants aged 45 to 84 years without clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the MESA study. Participants were divided into three groups based on average daily carbohydrate intake: low (≤45%), medium (45–55%), and high (≥55%). Results The study sample included 3,776 participants which were aged 61.5±10.1 years, 47.5% male, 40.0% white, 24.9% African American, 21.8% Hispanic, and 13.3% Chinese. Higher levels of daily carbohydrate intake were linearly associated with greater RV stroke volume (RVSV), and RV ejection fraction (RVEF) (P<0.001) with larger carbohydrate-intake-related increasements in men than in women (P=0.006 for interaction) after adjusting for demographics, anthropometrics, smoking, drinking, daily protein intake, daily total energy intake, cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, education, utilization of medicine and other covariates. The results remained significant after adjustment for LV parameters. Conclusions Carbohydrate intake was independently associated with differences in RV morphology after adjustment for all covariates. This association may be explained by the decreased intake of specific nutrients from carbohydrates. Given the nature of the study, causality cannot be proven. Therefore, further studies are needed to extend these findings, which if confirmed, may suggest a need to rethink recommendations for carbohydrate intake in clinical practice, for optimal nutrient achievement, meals need to be well formulated. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.