Overweight in trained subjects - are we looking at wrong numbers? (Body mass index compared with body fat percentage in estimating overweight in athletes.).

Body mass index (BMI) is widely used as an index of obesity in adults. In trained population, individual with low body fat could be classified as overweight by BMI. To evaluate this problem, the purposes of this study were to determine the BMI and body fat percentage (BF%) of trained and untrained subjects and to evaluate the accuracy of BMI classification (> or =25 kg.m(-2)) as a prediction of overweight/obesity in trained subjects. The total number of 299 trained (basketball players) and 179 untrained male subjects participated in this study. Body height and body mass were measured; BMI was calculated for all subjects. BF% was determined via Tanita bioimpedance body composition analyzer. BMI >or = 25 kg.m(-2) and BF% > 20% were used to define overweight. There was no significant age differences. Body mass, height (p < 0.01) and BMI (p < 0.05) were significantly higher, although BF% was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in trained group when compared to untrained. Eighty-five trained subjects had a BMI of 25 or higher, indicating overweight. Of these, only three individuls had excess BF%. The results of the present study suggest that a BMI > or = 25 kg.m(-2) is not an accurate predictor of overweight in trained subjects.

Velocity propagation of early diastole is a valuable tool for left ventricular remodelling after the first myocardial infarction.

PURPOSE: Velocity propagation (Vp) of early diastole is a known method for the evaluation of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. Our purpose was to determine whether Vp is a valuable tool to characterize patients after acute myocardial infarction and LV remodelling (LVR). METHODS: M-mode, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were performed in 71 patients within the first 2 days, 1, 3 and 6 months after acute myocardial infarction. We measured the left atrium, LV diameters and volumes, peak early and late velocity (E, A) deceleration time, Vp, annular velocity (e) and calculated E/e. The patients were divided in two groups: (A) without early LVR (n=39) and (B) with early LVR (n=32). RESULTS: In the first evaluation, Vp was similar in both groups (36.37 vs. 35.49 cm/s, P=0.513). Late LVR (LLVR) (44%) had developed in patients from group A with significantly lower early Vp compared with patients without LLVR (31.52 vs. 40.12 cm/s, P=0.001), with persist values even after 6 months (29.41 vs. 40.85 cm/s, P=0.001). The values of Vp were similar in the first 2 days in patients from group B with developing (78%) and nondeveloping LLVR (35.29 vs. 36.60 cm/s, P=0.614). Differences became significant after 6 months (31.71 vs. 41.80 cm/s, P=0.001). The values of Vp of 35 cm/s or less from the first week in both groups correlated with LLVR (B=3.27, P=0.015). Changing of LV volumes significantly correlated with Vp; for end-diastolic volume/body surface area (r=0.21, P=0.041) and end-systolic volume/body surface area (r=0.30, P=0.014). CONCLUSION: In this study, Vp was the only valuable Doppler echocardiographic tool that reflected early LVR and LLVR.