Relationship of atherosclerosis and atrial fibrillation predictors with body composition in obese individuals

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the markers that may predict both atrial fibrillation (AF) and atherosclerosis in obese patients.

Method: This study was conducted on 108 participants (54 women and 54 men) with a body mass index (i.e., BMI) of at least 30. In addition to the electrocardiogram (ECG) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) findings, we also analyzed the findings of body composition by means of the bioelectric impedance analysis method using the Tanita MC 780 MA analyzer in all participants.

Results: We found that the minimal area of the left atrium (LA) had a very strong (r = 0.978, p = 0.022) correlation with visceral adiposity and a weak positive correlation with waist circumference. Aortic stiffness had a weak positive correlation with visceral adiposity ratio (p = 0.022) and fat mass (r = 0.323, p = 0.001). The diameter of LA had weak positive correlations with visceral adiposity (p = 0.018), waist circumference (r = 0.336, p < 0.001), fat-free mass (r = 0.323, p = 0.001), muscle mass (r = 0.324, p = 0.001), liquid mass (r = 0.323, p = 0.001) and metabolic age (r = 0.364, p < 0.001). Again, we found weak positive correlations of epicardial fat tissue with visceral adiposity (r = 0.459, p = 0.018) and metabolic age (r = 0.350, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: In our study, it has been noted that obese patients may have different levels of risk for AF and atherosclerosis, and there may be a more risky subgroup in which the distribution of some anthropometric and body tissue components differs.