Body composition indices and electromechanical durations in metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Aim: To examine electromechanical delay (EMD) a predictive of atrial fibrillation (AF) risk, in obese and non-obese metabolic syndrome (MS) patients and to research the relationship between EMD and the new body composition indices.

Method: 118 overweight (body mass index (BMI)>26 kg/m²) individuals with MS meeting the criteria for IDF and ATP III were included in the study. The subjects were divided into two groups: Group 1; 54 obese persons with MS (33 females; mean age 46.2±14.1) while Group 2 included 64 non-obese persons with MS (33 females; mean age 41.4±13.2). In addition to laboratory findings, body composition indices, conventional and tissue Doppler imaging were obtained. Atrial EMD was defined as the time interval from the onset of the P wave on the surface electrocardiogram to the beginning of the late diastolic A wave. Inter, intra and left atrial EMD’s were measured from the data obtained.

Results: Inter, intra and left atrial EMDs were significantly greater in the obese group compared to the non-obese group. There was a significant correlation between interatrial EMD and left atrial EMD and all body composition indices except body surface index. The strongest correlation was between body roundness index (BRI) and interatrial and left atrial EMD (r=0.46; p<0.001, r=0.39; p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: EMD intervals were more prolonged in obese subjects with MS than in non-obese subjects with MS. The parameter most relevant to EMD was BRI. BRI is the body composition index most correlated with increased risk for AF in persons with MS.