METHODS: From 5115 participants enrolled in 1985-1986 in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, 2533 had serial measures of depressive symptoms and subsequent echocardiography to measure normal LV geometry, concentric remodeling, and LVH. The primary exposure variable was trajectories of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale score from 1990-1991 to 2010-2011. Multivariable polytomous logistic regression was used to assess associations of trajectories with a composite LV geometry outcome created using echocardiogram data measured in 2010-2011 and 2015-2016. Sex-specific conflicting results led to exploratory models that examined potential importance of testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin.
RESULTS: Overall CES-D and Somatic subscale trajectories had significant associations with LVH for female participants only. Odds ratios for the subthreshold (mean CES-D ≈ 14) and stable (mean CES-D ≈ 19) groups were 1.49 (95% confidence interval = 1.05-2.13) and 1.88 (95% confidence interval = 1.16-3.04), respectively. For female participants, sex hormone-binding globulin was inversely associated with LVH, and for male participants, bioavailable testosterone was positively associated with concentric geometry.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings from cross-sectional and longitudinal regression models for female participants, but not male ones, and particularly for Somatic subscale trajectories suggested a plausible link among depression, androgens, and LVH. The role of androgens to the depression-LVH relation requires additional investigation in future studies.
METHODS: Data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study were analyzed. Participants (n = 2,833) had a mean baseline age of 30.1 years; 45% were black, and 56% were women. Generalized estimating equation logistic regression was used to estimate age-related probabilities of stage B LV abnormalities (remodeling, hypertrophy, or dysfunction) and logistic regression to examine risk factor-adjusted associations between baseline LV parameters and incident abnormalities. Cox regression was used to assess whether baseline LV parameters associated with incident stage B LV abnormalities were also associated with incident clinical (stage C/D) HF events over >25 years' follow-up.
RESULTS: Probabilities of stage B LV abnormalities at ages 25 and 60 years were 10.5% (95% CI, 9.4%-11.8%) and 45.0% (95% CI, 42.0%-48.1%), with significant race-sex disparities (e.g., at age 60, black men 52.7% [95% CI, 44.9%-60.3%], black women 59.4% [95% CI, 53.6%-65.0%], white men 39.1% [95% CI, 33.4%-45.0%], and white women 39.1% [95% CI, 33.9%-44.6%]). Over 25 years, baseline LV end-systolic dimension indexed to height was associated with incident systolic dysfunction (adjusted odds ratio per 1 SD higher, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.87-3.52), eccentric hypertrophy (1.34; 95% CI, 1.02-1.75), concentric hypertrophy (0.69; 95% CI, 0.51-0.91), and concentric remodeling (0.68; 95% CI, 0.58-0.79); baseline LV mass indexed to height2.7 was associated with incident eccentric hypertrophy (1.70; 95% CI, 1.25-2.32]), concentric hypertrophy (1.63; 95% CI, 1.19-2.24), and diastolic dysfunction (1.24; 95% CI, 1.01-1.52). Among the entire cohort with baseline echocardiographic data available (n = 4,097; 72 HF events), LV end-systolic dimension indexed to height and LV mass indexed to height2.7 were significantly associated with incident clinical HF (adjusted hazard ratios per 1 SD higher, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.26-1.93] and 1.42 [95% CI, 1.14-1.75], respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: Stage B LV abnormalities and related racial disparities were present in young adulthood, increased with age, and were associated with baseline variation in indexed LV end-systolic dimension and mass. Baseline indexed LV end-systolic dimension and mass were also associated with incident clinical HF. Efforts to prevent the LV abnormalities underlying clinical HF should start from a young age.