Role of gender and somatotype in the variation of left ventricular size

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of gender and somatotype on predicted LVM (pLVM) and appropriateness of LVM (oLVM/pLVM).

Methods: 147 individuals (73 males, 74 females), aged 17–23 years, were included in this study. Anthropometry was performed using standard anthropometry kit. Somatotype (I-nanosomic, II-microsomic, III-micromesosomic, IV-mesosomic, V-mesomacrosomic, VI-macrosomic, VII-megalosomic) was defined using the method proposed by R.N.Dorokhov and V.G.Petrukhin (1989). M-mode echocardiography was carried out with Acuson Aspen, 3.5MHz using standard protocol. oLVM was calculated by the formula of R.B. Devereux et al (1986). pLVM was estimated using the formula derived by G.de Simone et al (1998). Appropriateness of LVM was assessed as oLVM divided by pLVM expressed as a percentage. Statistica 6.0 (Stat Soft, USA) software was used for statistical analysis.

Results: No individuals with types I and VII somatotypes were found.

Somatotype
		II	III	IV	V	VI
Males	oLVM	123.90±10.02	125.07±5.16	134.40±5.27	142.00±5.82	162.68±6.63
	pLVM	136.56±7.50	137.34±3.42	138.65±6.35	150.71±5.31	157.91±4.16
	oLVM/pLVM	91.41±6.64	91.60±4.02	97.96±4.27	97.11±3.56	103.81±4.61
Females	oLVM	109.86±4.15	109.50±5.95	104.13±5.54	106.59±4.85	109.67±5.99
	pLVM	97.77±4.61	96.87±3.57	98.44±3.51	110.92±2.28	114.73±4.69
	oLVM/pLVM	114.06±4.81	113.66±6.02	103.67±5.02	95.80±3.41	96.68±5.90

Conclusions: pLVM incerased with body size in both males and females. oLVM/pLVM is directly proportional to body size in males,but inversely proportional in females.