Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Wall-Motion Abnormalities in Adults Without Clinically Recognized Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Left ventricular wall motion (WM) abnormalities have recognized prognostic significance in patients with coronary or other heart diseases; however, whether abnormal WM predicts adverse events in adults without overt cardiovascular disease has not been assessed. Our objective was to determine whether echocardiographic WM abnormalities predict subsequent cardiovascular events in a population-based sample. Participants (n=2864, mean age 60+/-8 years, 64% women) without clinically evident cardiovascular disease in the second Strong Heart Study examination who had complete echocardiographic WM assessment were studied. Echocardiographic assessment revealed that 5% of participants (n=140) had focal hypokinesia, and 1.5% (n=42) had WM abnormalities. Relationships between WM abnormalities and fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events (including myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary artery disease, and heart failure; n=554) and cardiovascular death (n=182) during 8+/-2 years follow-up were examined. In Cox regression, after adjustment for age, gender, waist/hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, and diabetes mellitus, segmental WM abnormalities were associated with a 2.5-fold higher risk of cardiovascular events and a 2.6-fold higher risk of cardiovascular death (both P<0.0001). In similar multivariable models, global WM abnormalities were associated with a 2.4-fold higher risk of cardiovascular events (P=0.001) and a 3.4-fold higher risk of cardiovascular death (P=0.003). Echocardiographic left ventricular WM abnormalities in adults without overt cardiovascular disease are associated with 2.4- to 3.4-fold higher risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, independent of established risk factors.