Photo Credit: PIJITRA PHOMKHAM
The following is a summary of “Small left ventricular chamber size and Mortality in a large general population,” published in the October 2024 issue of Cardiology by Leibowitz et al.
The enlargement of the left ventricle (LV) often signals harmful cardiac changes and can predict a poorer prognosis. Although past studies show that a smaller LV chamber size could increase cardiovascular risk, this has only been examined in small patient groups. Its impact on a larger, more general population remains uncertain.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study determining the prognostic impact of a small LV chamber size in a large, general population cohort.
They retrieved records of all individuals who underwent echocardiography exams between 2011 and 2023. A small LV chamber size was defined as an end-diastolic diameter less than 42 mm for men and 37.8 mm for women, according to ASE guidelines. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. In total, 46,529 individuals were included, with an average age of 60 (±19 years), and 56% were male. Among them, 3,787 people had a small LV chamber. Clinical factors linked to a small LV chamber included increasing age and a lower body surface area (BSA), while echocardiographic indicators included higher relative wall thickness and E/e’ ratio.
The results showed that multivariable analysis showed that having a small LV chamber size was strongly linked to an increase in mortality risk, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.34 (95% CI: 1.22-1.46, P<0.001). This association was significant in both older adults (over 65 years) (HR 1.30, 95% CI: 1.19-1.41, P<0.001) and younger individuals (HR 2.09, 95% CI: 1.81-2.41, P<0.001), and among both males and females.
Investigators concluded that smaller LV chamber size was notably associated with a higher mortality risk across a broad spectrum of individuals. Future research should explore the underlying mechanisms and possible strategies to prevent these risks.
Source: ajconline.org/article/S0002-9149(24)00757-4/abstract
