Hypertension was associated with increased carotid IMT and diameter (P<0.001), and antihypertensive therapy altered the diameter-IMT relationship compared to untreated and normotensive groups.
Cross-Sectional (n=1,249)
Does hypertension and its treatment influence early large artery remodeling (carotid IMT and diameter) compared to normotensive subjects?
Antihypertensive therapy alters the sensitivity of carotid artery enlargement in response to increased wall thickness, whereas untreated hypertension does not change this relationship compared to normotension.
p-value: p=<0.001
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze the influence of hypertension on early large artery remodeling. METHODS AND RESULTS: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and diameter were measured ultrasonographically in 394 normotensive subjects and 327 untreated and 528 treated hypertensive patients. IMT and diameter were increased in hypertensive groups, treated or untreated, compared with the normotensive group (P<0.001). Positive association existed between diameter and IMT in the overall study population (P<0.001), and this association interacted with the category of clinical groups (P<0.01). The slope of the diameter-IMT relationship was different between normotensive, untreated hypertensive, and treated hypertensive groups (P<0.01), with higher value in the treated hypertensive group than in untreated hypertensive and normotensive groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). Adjustment for blood pressure, lipid-lowering therapy, or multiple covariates (age, sex, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, body mass index, lipid-lowering therapy, smoking, and previous cardiovascular disease) did not abolish the diameter-IMT slope difference between clinical groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of carotid artery enlargement in response to increase in wall thickness was unchanged in untreated hypertension but altered by antihypertensive therapy compared with the normotensive condition.
Chironi et al. (Tue,) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=1,249). Hypertension vs. Normotensive subjects was evaluated on Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and diameter (p=<0.001). Hypertension was associated with increased carotid IMT and diameter (P<0.001), and antihypertensive therapy altered the diameter-IMT relationship compared to untreated and normotensive groups.