Regression of Echocardiographic Left Ventricular Hypertrophy After 2 Years of Therapy Reduces Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Essential Hypertension

BACKGROUND: There is still ambiguity about the prognostic relevance of regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (as revealed by echocardiography) in a large population of subjects with hypertension, with and without evidence of LVH in their electrocardiograms (ECGs). This holds true even after adjusting for various confounders including in treatment ambulatory blood pressure (BP). The most suitable time point for a follow-up echocardiography also remains a matter for debate. In this study, we investigated the prognostic relevance of regression of LVH after 2 years of therapy, in a large population of subjects with hypertension, and possessing the aforesaid characteristics. METHODS: The occurrence of adverse cardiovascular events was evaluated in 387 patients with LVH shown by echocardiography at baseline, and these patients were studied again after 2 years of therapy. At the second examination, 245 subjects showed regression of LVH, whereas 142 did not. RESULTS: During the time period before the subsequent follow up (6.2 +/- 3 years, range 1.9-12.9 years), 59 first adverse events (26 cardiac and 33 cerebrovascular) had occurred among these subjects. The event rates per 100 patient-years in patients with and without LVH regression were 1.06 and 4.4, respectively. After adjusting for several covariates at the 2-year visit, including in treatment ambulatory BP, Cox regression analysis showed that cardiovascular risk was significantly lower in patients with LVH regression than in those without (RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.19-0.68, P = 0.002). When left ventricular (LV) mass index reduction was analyzed instead of LVH status, it was found to be significantly associated with reduced risk (RR 0.62 per 1-s.d. decrease, 95% CI 0.44-0.88, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Regression of LVH, as revealed by echocardiography after 2 years of therapy, is associated with reduced cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension, whether or not LVH was revealed in their ECGs. This holds true even after adjusting for various confounders including in treatment ambulatory BP.