Short term effects of physical exercise and low calorie diet on left ventricular function in obese subjects : A tissue doppler study

Abstract Background and aim The effects of combined physical exercise and a hypocaloric diet on left ventricular function in obese subjects without heart disease are not well defined and have never been studied with the tissue Doppler technique. The purpose of our study was to describe the modification of left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions after a short period of physical exercise and a hypocaloric diet in obese patients. Methods and results Fifteen patients (10 females and 5 males) aged 29.7 ± 6.1 years with uncomplicated obesity (mean body mass index = 41.4 ± 5.5 kg/m 2 ) were subjected to a low calorie diet and physical exercise. Systolic and diastolic functions were evaluated by Doppler and tissue Doppler echocardiography. After 3 weeks echocardiographic and conventional Doppler measurements were unchanged, while Sa increased (0.109 ± 0.019 vs 0.118 ± 0.016 m/s) and Ea decreased (0.162 ± 0.029 vs 0.147 ± 0.022 m/s, P  = 0.044) resulting in a decrease in Ea/Aa (1.66 ± 0.53 vs 1.40 ± 0.28, P  = 0.033) and an increase in E/Ea (5.65 ± 1.00 vs 6.35 ± 1.21, P  = 0.038). Conclusion Physical exercise and a hypocaloric diet in obese healthy subjects result in an improvement of a TDI index of systolic function and a slight reduction in early diastolic velocity of mitral annulus.