Electrocardiogram of Obese Young Adults in a University, Malaysia

Background and Aim: Obesity exhibits wide variety of electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in adults. Previous researches have found different results since they tested mostly on children, adolescents, and middle aged persons. However, there’s no clear evidence of the association between obesity and ECG variables, especially in young adults. Hence, the aim of this research is to compare ECG parameters (PR interval, QRS interval, corrected QT, axis and height of P and R wave) of obese with normal BMI young adults.Materials and method: A cross-sectional observational study was done on 38 students of a private university in Shah Alam. They were aged between 20 to 30 years, involving normal and obese persons. Anthropometric data, arterial blood pressure and standard 12-lead ECGs were collected for every participant. Independent-sample t-tests and non-parametric Mann-Whitney test were conducted to compare data of normal persons and obese persons. Pearson correlation was done to correlate ECG parameters with BMI, Weight and systolic arterial blood pressure.Results: Heart rate, PR interval, QRS interval and QT interval of obese person were not significantly different from normal. Height of R wave in obese person is more than that of normal person (P<0.05). However, there was no correlation between BMI, Weight, systolic blood pressure and ECG parameters that could be found.Conclusion: Thus, ECG wave and intervals except height of the R wave of obese young adults are not significantly different from those of the normal BMI. Finding of higher R wave in obese groups indicates ventricle wall of obese young adults are thicker than that of the young adults with normal BMI and it is not related to the effect of systolic arterial blood pressure, BMI and even weight of the person