Hepatic and Systemic Inflammation for Left Ventricular Mass in Physically Fit Adults: CHIEF Heart Study

Abstract

Background: Both low-grade systemic and hepatic inflammation could result in increased left ventricular mass (LVM) in the general population. However, the associations, which might be modified by exercise, have not been clarified in physically active young adults.

Methods: The study included 2,004 military males aged 18-43 years in eastern Taiwan. Systemic and hepatic inflammation was defined by the upper tertiles of blood white blood cell (WBC) counts (7.51-11.00 x 103/μL) and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT: 30-120 U/L), respectively. LVM indexed for the body height ≥49 g/m².7 was defined as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) based on echocardiography. Multiple logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol intake, physical fitness, and metabolic syndrome was utilized to determine the associations.

Results: As compared to the lower WBC/lower ALT group, there tended to have an increased risk of LVH with the higher WBC/lower ALT group, the lower WBC/higher ALT group, and the higher WBC/higher ALT group [odds ratios: 0.89 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.41-1.94), 1.90 (95% CI: 0.86-4.22) and 2.48 (95% CI: 1.04-5.92); p-value for trend = 0.01].

Conclusion: Our study suggested that in physically active males, those with hepatic inflammation rather than low-grade systemic inflammation had a higher risk of LVH. Hepatic injury might be relevant to LVH as an early sign of end-organ damage regardless of physical fitness in young adults.

Keywords: Alanine aminotransferase; hepatic inflammation; left ventricular hypertrophy; left ventricular mass; physical fitness; white blood cell counts.