Association of serum adiponectin and insulin-like growth factor I levels with parameters of cardiac remodeling in severely obese patients

Background: Obesity is associated with various changes in cardiac geometry and this process involves both hemodynamic and non-hemodynamic factors, among which adipocitokines and growth factors may play an important role. The aim of this study was to identify the extent and pattern of cardiac remodeling in a group of severely obese patients and analyze the relationship between adiponectin, IGF-I and cardiac parameters reflecting obesity-associated structural changes. Subjects and methods: Our study included 344 patients (104 men) with severe obesity [mean body mass index (BMI)= 45.7±8.5 kg/m2], extensively evaluated clinically and biologically (complete metabolic tests, serum adiponectin, and IGF-I measurements). Left ventricular (LV) mass index (LVMI), left atrium (LA) size, and LV geometry were determined by means of cardiac ultrasound. Results: The most prevalent pattern of LV geometry was eccentric hypertrophy (28.7% of patients). In a gender-, age-, BMI-, diabetes- and hypertension-adjusted general linear model, patients with concentric or eccentric hypertrophy had significantly lower values of adiponectin than those with normal geometry (6.75±0.41, 6.96±0.53, vs 9.04±0.42 mg/l, p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, independent determinants for LVMI were BMI (β=0.364, p<0.001), systolic blood pressure (BP) (β=0.187, p=0.004), age (β=0.246, p<0.001), adiponectin (β=−0.151, p=0.012), and IGF-I z-score (β=0.134, p=0.025) while factors independently related to LA size were systolic BP (β=0.218, p<0.001), BMI (β=0.194, p<0.001), age (β=0.273, p<0.001), gender (β=−0.195, p<0.001), and adiponectin (β=−0.180, p=0.005). Conclusions: In patients with severe obesity, IGF-I z score and adiponectin correlate with parameters of cardiac remodeling independently of anthropometric, hemodynamic or metabolic factors.