Body Shape and Risk Evaluation of Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Objective: To find if and how body shape variations are linked to risk of myocardial infarction. Setting: The study was conducted at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital affiliated with Fatima Jinnah Medical College Lahore and Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore, Pakistan, from 1st January 2004 to 15th December 2004. Convenient sampling was done. Study Design: Case Control study was designed between group I patients (n = 642) who had acute myocardial infarction (MI) for the first time and compared with group II controls (n = 678) who had no history of ischemic heart disease. Both groups were matched as closely as possible for age, sex and socio-economic conditions, and were taken from the same population. Patients and methodology: A total of 1320 subjects (687males) with a mean age of 51.9 years (STD 10.7) and (633 females) with a mean age of 56.5 years (STD ±9.15) were studied for their body shape. 642 patients with confirmed first attack of acute myocardial infarction were admitted to Coronary Care Units at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Punjab Institute of Cardiology. Group 1 patients (n = 642, males 360 and females 282) who had acute myocardial infarction confirmed on history examination, electrocardiography and cardiac enzymes were compared with group II controls (n = 678, males 327 and females 351) who had no history of ischemic heart disease. Anthropometric measurements were taken. Results: The variables compared were; the circumferences of upper arm, thigh and calf in centimeters, the body mass index taken as weight in kg / (height in m)2 and the waist hip and waist thigh ratios. The ‘Student t Test’ and ‘Logistic Regression’ were applied to calculate the statistical significance of individual variables and their association with the risk of myocardial infarction. Conclusion: This study shows that central adiposity when accompanied by thin upper arms and thin calves in both sexes is associated with myocardial infarction. Upper arm, thigh and calf measurements along with waist thigh ratio are the important variables contributing to Myocardial Infarction.