Effect of food intake on echocardiographic measurements in healthy elderly

Objective: This study evaluates whether food intake affects systolic and diastolic echocardiographic measurements in healthy seniors.

Methods: Thirty healthy subjects 65-70 years of age were investigated with echocardiography, at fasting and then 30, 90, and 180 min after a meal.

Results: After 30 min the biggest changes were seen in left ventricular wall stress and myocardial performance index with a decrease of 45% and 33%, respectively, compared to fasting values. Significant (p < .05) increases also were seen in left ventricular stroke volume, left ventricular cardiac output, left ventricular cardiac index, left ventricular outflow velocity-time integral, peak of early diastolic (E) and late diastolic (A) mitral flow velocities, the E/A ratio, pulsed tissue Doppler peak systolic (s') and early (e') and late (a') diastolic velocities, pulmonary vein peak velocities in systole (S) and diastole (D), mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), and global longitudinal strain (GLS) (increases ranging 6%-19%). After 90 min there remained a decrease in wall stress and myocardial performance index of 31% and 17%, respectively, and smaller, but still significant, changes could be seen in left ventricular stroke volume, left ventricular outflow velocity-time integral, MAPSE (lateral), TAPSE, GLS, and a few pulsed tissue Doppler peak systolic velocities and late diastolic velocities. An increase also could be seen in deceleration time of E-wave (DT). After 180 min, all variables except DT were back at baseline or below. No significant changes were seen in S/D ratio, lateral early diastolic velocity (e' lateral) and E/e'ratio.

Conclusions: This study shows that food intake affects commonly used echocardiographic parameters, both systolic and diastolic, in healthy seniors. With a few exceptions, the changes seen in the older population were less pronounced than previous studies in younger subjects.