Key result
Elevated early-40s blood pressure linked to ~1% higher LASct decades later in men, but not women.
Why the study?
Lifelong exposure of the left heart chambers to systemic blood pressures may affect age-related left atrial function, but long-term follow-up studies are scarce.
Does elevated blood pressure in the early 40s impact left atrial strain two decades later?
Observational (n=2,399)
Does elevated blood pressure in the early 40s impact left atrial strain two decades later?
Effect estimate: adjusted β 1.03% (95% CI 0.37% to 1.69%)
p-value: p=0.002
Increased blood pressure in early mid-life is associated with higher left atrial contractile strain two decades later in men, but not in women.
BACKGROUND: The life-long exposure of the left heart chambers to systemic blood pressures may be important to changes in left atrial (LA) function with age, but long-term follow-up studies are scarce. We aimed to assess the impact of blood pressure in mid-life on LA function assessed by echocardiographic reservoir (LASr) and contractile (LASct) strain two decades later, in men and women. METHODS: Echocardiography was performed at ages 62-65 in 3706 participants born in 1950 of the prospective observational Akershus Cardiac Examination (ACE) 1950 Study. Data was linked with blood pressure measurements from the Age 40 Programme, a national health survey performed when the participants were 40-43 years of age. Participants were categorised into three groups representing normal blood pressure, elevated blood pressure and hypertension, based on measurements at ages 40-43. Linear regression models were used to assess associations between blood pressure and echocardiographic LA strain analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2399 participants (51.6% women) had available LA strain analysis from the ACE 1950 Study (mean age 63.9±0.6 years) and blood pressure data from the Age 40 Programme (mean age 40.1±0.3 years). At ages 62-65, mean LASr was 35.1±9.2% and LASct was 17.7±5.6%. Adjusted regression models showed a significant association between blood pressure category increase at ages 40-43 and LASct (adjusted β 1.03% (95% CI 0.37% to 1.69%), p=0.002) at ages 62-65, but not with LASr. In women, no associations were evident between blood pressure at ages 40-43 and LA strain two decades later. CONCLUSIONS: Increased blood pressure in the early 40s was associated with higher LA contractile strain two decades later in men, but not in women.
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Solberg et al. (2025) conducted an observational in Elevated blood pressure (n=2,399). Elevated blood pressure vs. Normal blood pressure was evaluated on Left atrial contractile strain (LASct) (adjusted β 1.03%, 95% CI 0.37% to 1.69%, p=0.002). Elevated blood pressure in the early 40s was associated with higher left atrial contractile strain two decades later (adjusted β 1.03%; 95% CI 0.37% to 1.69%; p=0.002) in men, but not women.
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