European journal of clinical investigation
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Apr 2007
Right ventricular performance in severe obesity. Effect of weight loss.
The 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. ⋯ These results show a right ventricular dysfunction in severe uncomplicated obesity, associated with an impaired functional capacity which recovers after consistent weight loss.