Weight reduction regresses left ventricular mass regardless of blood pressure level in obese subjects.

The effects of weight reduction on left ventricular mass in obese normotensive and hypertensive subjects were investigated. Previous studies have shown that weight reduction in hypertensive (HT) obese patients is associated with decreased left ventricular mass (LVM) and decreased blood pressure (BP). This study was performed to examine whether weight reduction would also regress LVM in normotensive (NT) obese subjects and to clarify the mechanisms of these effects if they occurred. A weight-reduction program consisted of mild exercise and mild hypocaloric intake. M-mode echocardiography was performed to estimate the LVM. After the 12-week intervention, the mean reductions in body weight (BW) in the NT (n = 11) and HT (n = 11) groups were 4.9 kg (p < 0.005) and 4.6 kg (p < 0.0005), respectively. Systolic, diastolic, and mean BP were significantly reduced by 13, 9, and 11 mm Hg, respectively, in the HT group. By contrast, no significant changes in systolic, diastolic, or mean BP were observed in the NT group. LVM was significantly reduced from 176 +/- 26 gm to 159 +/- 26 gm (p < 0.05) in the HT group and from 167 +/- 33 gm to 145 +/- 34 gm (p < 0.02) in the NT group. These results suggest that weight reduction in obese subjects by mild exercise and mild hypocaloric intake can lead to a reduction in LVM, regardless of whether the subjects have normal or high blood pressure.