Influence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol on left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic function in essential hypertension

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and LV diastolic dysfunction, which are common cardiac changes in hypertensive patients, are modified by several nonhemodynamic (eg, genetic, neurohumoral, and metabolic) factors. However, the influence of serum lipids on these LV changes has not been sufficiently studied. Although low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is well known to be a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, it is unclear whether HDL cholesterol plays a role in hypertensive heart disease. METHODS: In 274 patients with treated essential hypertension, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were performed, and LV mass, ratio of peak velocity of atrial filling to early diastolic filling (A to E ratio A/E), and deceleration time of the E-wave were evaluated. The relationship of dyslipidemia, especially low HDL cholesterol, to LV hypertrophy and diastolic function was investigated in these patients. RESULTS: In a univariate regression analysis, HDL cholesterol was inversely associated with LV mass, A/E, and deceleration time. The association of HDL cholesterol with LV diastolic function was observed in both men and women. Its association with LV mass was gender-dependent, being significant only in women. Triglycerides were weakly correlated with LV mass and A/E, but total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol had no correlations with these indices. In a multiple regression analysis, only low HDL cholesterol among several lipid levels was an independent predictor of both LV mass and LV diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that low HDL cholesterol may unfavorably modify LV structure and diastolic function in patients with treated essential hypertension.