The effect of low-carbohydrate diet on left ventricular diastolic function in obese children

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate left ventricle (LV) functions using conventional and tissue Doppler imaging in childhood obesity and to identify the effects of diet on LV diastolic functions.

Methods: Conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiographic measurements were compared in 34 obese children and 24 age- and gender-matched lean controls. Fasting plasma glucose, insulin and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance levels were also obtained. Thirty-one of the obese children were subjected to a low-carbohydrate diet and their follow-up measurements were obtained after 6 months.

Results: Left atrial diameter, LV mass and LV mass index were higher in obese children than in lean controls. Lateral mitral myocardial early diastolic (E_m) and peak E_m/myocardial late diastolic (A_m) were lower, and mitral E/E_m and lateral mitral myocardial isovolumetric relaxation time were higher in obese subjects than in lean controls. Insulin and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance levels were higher in obese patients and decreased significantly after diet. After diet therapy, lateral mitral E_m and peak E_m/A_m, were increased, mitral E/E_m and myocardial isovolumetric relaxation time were decreased.

Conclusions: Obesity predisposes children to increased preload reserve, left ventricular subclinical diastolic dysfunction and deterioration in diastolic filling. Weight reduction with a low-carbohydrate diet seems to be associated with significant improvement in LV diastolic function and a decrease in diastolic filling, as well as causing reversal in insulin resistance seen in obese children.