Insulin Resistance Is Associated with Right Ventricular Dysfunction

The effect of insulin resistance on left ventricular function is well documented; however, less is known regarding its effect on the right ventricle (RV). To evaluate the association between insulin resistance and RV function by echocardiography in a cohort of adults without baseline cardiovascular disease. We performed a retrospective cohort study in the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). Linear regression was used to examine the association between overall insulin resistance measured by the mean triglyceride (TG) to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio (TG:HDL) and change in TG:HDL over time for each participant with echocardiographic RV function. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) of RV systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Among 3,032 participants, higher mean TG:HDL was associated with lower (worse) absolute RV longitudinal strain (β, -0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.64 to -0.13;