Multichamber Dysfunction in Children and Adolescents With Severe Obesity: A Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Myocardial Strain Study.

Background: In severe obesity, left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) remodeling and contractile dysfunction have been documented, but less is known regarding left atrial (LA) dysfunction and its association with LV/RV remodeling, especially in children.

Purpose: To assess the effects of severe childhood obesity on cardiac function by using multichamber strain analysis with MRI.

Study Type: Prospective.

Subjects: Forty-five children aged 7-18 years (including 20 with severe obesity, defined as a body mass index values above the 99th percentile).

Field Strength: 5 T.

Sequence: Steady-state-free-precession (SSFP) images in short-axis views and longitudinal two- and four-chamber views.

Assessment: Cardiac strain measurements were derived from standard SSFP cine images by using a dedicated MR imaging feature tracking software. Inter- and intra-rater reliability were evaluated.

Statistical Tests: Independent sample t test, Spearman's correlation coefficient, principal component analysis, Bland-Altman analysis, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: As compared to children without obesity, those with obesity showed significantly reduced LA reservoir function (22.2% ± 6.4% vs. 33.8% ± 9.0%) and contractile function (5.4% ± 3.2% vs. 13.3% ± 8.0%) as well as significantly decreased absolute values for LA longitudinal strain in reservoir and contraction phases and LA radial motion fraction in reservoir and contraction phases. Children with severe obesity showed significantly reduced absolute RV radial motion fraction (-10.6% ± 2.9% vs. -18.2% ± 2.9%) and circumferential strain (-10.6% ± 2.9% vs. -16% ± 2.5%) as well as higher LV mass index (28.7% ± 5.1% vs. 21.7 ± 4.6 g/m ) along with significantly reduced LV ejection fraction (56.4% ± 3.9% vs. 60% ± 4.1%), LV radial strain (56% ± 6% vs. 61.8% ± 11.3%), and longitudinal strain (-17.8% ± 1.8% vs. -20.3% ± 3.2%). Reliability was good to excellent, with ICC ranging from 79.1% to 97.7%.

Data Conclusion: MR feature-tracking strain analysis revealed multichamber dysfunction in severely obese children with impaired LA reservoir and atrial contraction phases, which suggest an early loss in the compensatory ability of atrial contraction with severe obesity.

Level Of Evidence: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 3.