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Objectives: Impaired cardiovascular function has been associated with cognitive deterioration; however, to what extent cardiovascular dysfunction plays a role in structural cerebral changes remains unclear. We studied whether vascular and left ventricular (LV) functions are associated with measures of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) in the middle-aged general population. Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank, 4366 participants (54% female, mean age 61 years) underwent magnetic resonance imaging to assess LV function (ejection fraction [EF] and cardiac index [CI]) and cSVD measures (total brain volume, grey and white matter volumes, hippocampal volume and white matter hyperintensities [WMH]). Augmentation index (AIx) was used as a measure of arterial stiffness. Linear and non-linear associations were evaluated using cardiovascular function measures as determinants and cSVD measures as outcomes. Results: EF was non-linearly associated with total brain volume and grey matter volume, with the largest brain volume for an EF between 55 and 60% (both p < 0.001). EF showed a negative linear association with WMH (- 0.23% [- 0.44; - 0.02], p = 0.03), yet no associations were found with white matter or hippocampal volume. CI showed a positive linear association with white matter (β 3194 mm3 [760; 5627], p = 0.01) and hippocampal volume (β 72.5 mm3 [23.0; 122.0], p = 0.004). No associations were found for CI with total brain volume, grey matter volume or WMH. No significant associations were found between AIx and cSVD measures. Conclusions: This study provides novel insights into the complex associations between the heart and the brain, which could potentially guide early interventions aimed at improving cardiovascular function and the prevention of cSVD. Key Points: • Ejection fraction is non-linearly and cardiac index is linearly associated with MRI-derived measures of cerebral small vessel disease. • No associations were found for arterial stiffness with cSVD measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims  We aimed to evaluate the associations of body fat distribution with cardiovascular function and geometry in the middle-aged general population. Methods and results  Four thousand five hundred and ninety participants of the UK Biobank (54% female, mean age 61.1 ± 7.2 years) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance for assessment of left ventricular (LV) parameters [end-diastolic volume (EDV), ejection fraction (EF), cardiac output (CO), and index (CI)] and magnetic resonance imaging for body composition analysis [subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT)]. Body fat percentage (BF%) was assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Linear regressions were performed to assess the impact of visceral (VAT) and general (SAT and BF%) obesity on cardiac function and geometry. Visceral obesity was associated with a smaller EDV [VAT: β −1.74 (−1.15 to −2.33)], lower EF [VAT: β −0.24 (−0.12 to −0.35), SAT: β 0.02 (−0.04 to 0.08), and BF%: β 0.02 (−0.02 to 0.06)] and the strongest negative association with CI [VAT: β −0.05 (−0.06 to −0.04), SAT: β −0.02 (−0.03 to −0.01), and BF% β −0.01 (−0.013 to −0.007)]. In contrast, general obesity was associated with a larger EDV [SAT: β 1.01 (0.72–1.30), BF%: β 0.37 (0.23–0.51)] and a higher CO [SAT: β 0.06 (0.05–0.07), BF%: β 0.02 (0.01–0.03)]. In the gender-specific analysis, only men had a significant association between VAT and EF [β −0.35 (−0.19 to −0.51)]. Conclusion  Visceral obesity was associated with a smaller LV EDV and subclinical lower LV systolic function in men, suggesting that visceral obesity might play a more important role compared to general obesity in LV remodelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the associations of body fat distribution with cardiovascular function and geometry in the middle-aged general population., Methods and Results: Four thousand five hundred and ninety participants of the UK Biobank (54% female, mean age 61.1 ± 7.2 years) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance for assessment of left ventricular (LV) parameters [end-diastolic volume (EDV), ejection fraction (EF), cardiac output (CO), and index (CI)] and magnetic resonance imaging for body composition analysis [subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT)]. Body fat percentage (BF%) was assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Linear regressions were performed to assess the impact of visceral (VAT) and general (SAT and BF%) obesity on cardiac function and geometry. Visceral obesity was associated with a smaller EDV [VAT: β -1.74 (-1.15 to -2.33)], lower EF [VAT: β -0.24 (-0.12 to -0.35), SAT: β 0.02 (-0.04 to 0.08), and BF%: β 0.02 (-0.02 to 0.06)] and the strongest negative association with CI [VAT: β -0.05 (-0.06 to -0.04), SAT: β -0.02 (-0.03 to -0.01), and BF% β -0.01 (-0.013 to -0.007)]. In contrast, general obesity was associated with a larger EDV [SAT: β 1.01 (0.72-1.30), BF%: β 0.37 (0.23-0.51)] and a higher CO [SAT: β 0.06 (0.05-0.07), BF%: β 0.02 (0.01-0.03)]. In the gender-specific analysis, only men had a significant association between VAT and EF [β -0.35 (-0.19 to -0.51)]., Conclusion: Visceral obesity was associated with a smaller LV EDV and subclinical lower LV systolic function in men, suggesting that visceral obesity might play a more important role compared to general obesity in LV remodelling., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)