Baseline left ventricular geometry changes, including increased wall thickness and mass index, were significantly associated with an increased risk of incident hypertension over 5 years.
Cohort (n=12,562)
Do baseline echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular geometry predict incident hypertension in non-hypertensive individuals?
Baseline changes in left ventricular geometry, particularly wall thickness, are significant predictors of incident hypertension in non-hypertensive individuals.
OBJECTIVE: Left ventricular (LV) geometry change is an independent predictor for cardiovascular disease. However, data are equivocal on the association of echocardiographic parameters of LV geometry with incident hypertension. Thus, we were to investigate the risk of hypertension according to the baseline echocardiographic parameters of LV geometry. METHODS: Study participants were 12 562 Koreans without hypertension who received echocardiography as an item of health check-up. They were divided into normotensive or prehypertensive group according to baseline blood pressure. In each group, study subjects were classified by quintiles of baseline echocardiographic parameters including left ventricular mass index (LVMI), relative wall thickness (RWT), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), posterior wall thickness (PWT) and IVST plus PWT and followed up for 5 years. Cox proportional hazards model was used in calculating adjusted HRs and their 95% CI for hypertension according to each quintile group. Area under the curve (AUC) analysis (AUC 95% CI) was performed to compare the predictability of LVMI, RWT, IVST, PWT, IVST plus PWT for hypertension. RESULTS: Prehypertensive group had the worse clinical and echocardiographic parameters in baseline analysis than normotensive group. The risk of hypertension significantly increased proportionally to baseline LVMI, RWT, IVST, PWI and IVST plus PWT above specific quintile levels, which was identified in both normotensive and prehypertensive group. In AUC analysis, IVST, PWT and IVST plus PWT showed a significantly increased AUC, compared with LVMI. CONCLUSION: LV geometry change was significantly associated with the increased risk for hypertension in non-hypertensive individuals.
Park et al. (Wed,) conducted a cohort in Non-hypertensive individuals (n=12,562). Baseline echocardiographic parameters of LV geometry vs. Lower quintiles of LV geometry parameters was evaluated on Incident hypertension. Baseline left ventricular geometry changes, including increased wall thickness and mass index, were significantly associated with an increased risk of incident hypertension over 5 years.