Is Gender Responsible for Everything? The Relationship between Sex and Right Ventricular Remodeling in Metabolic Syndrome

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of metabolic syndrome (MS) on right ventricular (RV) remodeling in different genders. METHODS: The study included 341 subjects (216 subjects with MS and 125 controls). MS was defined by the presence of ≥ 3 ATP-NCEP-III criteria. All subjects underwent complete two-dimensional echocardiography. RESULTS: RV structure, diastolic, and global function were significantly impaired in MS subjects, in both genders. The multiple regression analysis of MS parameters showed that systolic blood pressure (BP) and waist circumference were independently associated with RV wall thickness in women, whereas the only independent predictor in men was systolic BP. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that increased BP, impaired fasting glucose, and dyslipidemia were a combination of MS risk factors related with RV hypertrophy solely in women. Increased systolic BP, impaired fasting glucose, and abdominal obesity were independently associated with tricuspid E/e' in women, whereas increased systolic BP was the only independent predictor in men. Impaired fasting glucose, abdominal obesity, and dyslipidemia were a combination of MS criteria, which was independently associated with RV diastolic dysfunction only in women. CONCLUSIONS: Different parameters of MS are responsible for RV remodeling in women and men. The metabolic parameters of MS are more important for RV remodeling in women.