• M Maniscalco, A Arciello, A Zedda, S Faraone, R Verde, C Giardiello, F Cacciapuoti, and M Sofia.
• Section of Respiratory Medicine, Hospital S. Maria della Pietà, Casoria, Largo delle Mimose 1, 80131 Naples, Italy. mauromaniscalco@hotmail.com
• Eur. J. Clin. Invest. 2007 Apr 1; 37 (4): 270-5.

BackgroundThe effects of severe obesity on right ventricular function in the absence of associated cardiopulmonary disease are not well known. Right myocardial performance index (R-MPI) is an echocardiographic index to non-invasively assess the right ventricular function. The aim of our study was to assess R-MPI in individuals with severe but uncomplicated obesity before and after a significant weight loss induced by bariatric surgery.Patients And MethodsFifteen obese females (OB) without cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases were examined. In all subjects, R-MPI was calculated by Doppler echocardiography as the sum of isovolumetric contraction time and isovolumetric relaxation time divided by ejection time. Furthermore, pulmonary function test (PFT) and 6-min walking test (6mWT) were performed. Ten healthy subjects with normal weight (HS) were also evaluated as controls. R-MPI, PFT and 6mWT were also re-evaluated one year later in 12 obese subjects treated with gastric banding after a consistent weight loss (> 20%).ResultsA prolongation of R-MPI was found in OB before bariatric surgery in comparison to the HS (0.47 +/- 0.04 and 0.29 +/- 0.05, respectively; P < 0.001). R-MPI significantly improved in OB 12 months after surgery (0.32 +/- 0.03) and was no longer different from HS. R-MPI positively correlated to body mass index (BMI). A significant association was found between the reduction of BMI after bariatric surgery and the distance walked during the 6mWT.ConclusionsThese results show a right ventricular dysfunction in severe uncomplicated obesity, associated with an impaired functional capacity which recovers after consistent weight loss.

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