Ambulatory arterial pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy in untreated hypertensive patients

Background: The study was designed to evaluate blood pressure (BP) values related to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in a group of never treated middle-aged hypertensive subjects.

Methods: Non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and echocardiography were performed in 149 hypertensive patients (25-50 years old) with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 90-114 mmHg. LVH was considered when left ventricular mass (LVM) was > 134 g/m2 in males and > 110 g/m2 in females.

Results: 43% of patients had LVH. Patients with LVH had higher clinic and ambulatory BP values. The greatest differences were in mean 24-h SBP (p = 0.001) and in 24-h DBP (p = 0.006). With respect to LVH, there were no differences between dippers and non-dippers, males or females, and circadian or BP variability. LVM was positively correlated with clinical DBP (p = 0.24), 24 h SBP (p = 0.41), pulse pressure (PP) (p = 0.36) and absolute BP variability (p = 0.23). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that 24-h SBP and sex where positively associated with LVH independent of others factors. The existence of 24-h SBP > 150 mmHg dramatically increased the risk of LVH (odds ratio [OR] = 9.2; CI 95%: 2.8-29.3; p = 0.002).

Conclusions: The present study indicates that in never treated middle-aged essential hypertensive patients the principal factor related to the presence of LVH is the value of systolic blood pressure throughout a 24-h period.