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Biomedical subjects

M J Roman

Publications and source records attributed to M J Roman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Relation of insulin resistance to markers of preclinical cardiovascular disease: the Strong Heart Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To investigate whether insulin-resistance influences echocardiographic markers of preclinical disease, independent of significant confounders. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 1,471 (59 +/- 8 years) non-diabetic individuals (WHO criteria) with available echocardiograms from the Strong Heart Study cohort. Among them, 530 subjects had arterial hypertension (62% on medications), 152 had impaired glucose tolerance (GT) and 460 were normotensive, non-obese with normal GT. Insulin resistance was estimated by the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA). LV mass, systolic function measured at the endocardium and the midwall (also correcting for circumferential wall stress) and arterial compliance (stroke volume/pulse pressure as a percent of predicted from body weight, age and heart rate [delta %SV/PP]) were measured by echocardiography, as prognostically validated markers of preclinical disease. HOMA-index was related positively to body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure, left ventricular (LV) mass, and negatively to arterial compliance (all p < 0.005) in the whole population, as well as in separate normotensive or hypertensive groups. In multiple regression models, relation of HOMA-index with the markers of risk was adjusted for age, sex, WHR, body mass index, presence of hypertension and number of antihypertensive medications. In this analysis, neither LV mass nor indices of systolic function were independently related to HOMA-index. In contrast, HOMA-index maintained a significant negative association with delta %SV/PP, independent of demographics, hypertension, treatment and body fat distribution. Also, HOMA-index maintained an independent relation with LV mass, when WHR and BMI were not included in the regression model. CONCLUSIONS: After accounting for relevant biological covariates, including body mass and fat distribution, insulin-resistance measured by HOMA is not an independent correlate of LV mass and function, but negatively influences arterial compliance.

Aged↗

Prevalence and correlates of mitral valve prolapse in a population-based sample of American Indians: the Strong Heart Study.

PURPOSE: Mitral valve prolapse is heritable and occurs frequently in the general population despite associations with mitral regurgitation and infective endocarditis, suggesting that selective advantages might be associated with mitral valve prolapse. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Clinical examination and 2-dimensional and color Doppler echocardiography were performed in 3340 American Indian participants in the Strong Heart Study. RESULTS: Mitral valve prolapse (clear-cut billowing of one or both mitral leaflets across the mitral anular plane in 2-dimensional parasternal long-axis recordings or >2-mm late systolic posterior displacement of mitral leaflets by M mode) occurred in 37 (1.8%) of 2077 women and 20 (1.6%) of 1263 men (P = 0.88); 32 (3.5%) of 907 patients with normal glucose tolerance, 11 (2.3%) of 486 patients with impaired glucose tolerance, and 13 (0.7%) of 1735 patients with diabetes (P <0.0001). Participants with mitral valve prolapse had lower mean (+/- SD) body mass index (28 +/- 5 kg/m(2) vs. 31 +/- 6 kg/m(2), P = 0.001) and blood pressure (124/71 +/- 19/10 mm Hg vs. 130/75 +/- 21/10 mm Hg, P <0.05), as well as lower levels of fasting glucose, triglycerides, serum creatinine, and log urine albumin/creatinine ratio (all P <0.001), than did those without mitral valve prolapse, although all subjects were similar in age (60 +/- 8 years). Participants with mitral valve prolapse had lower ventricular septal (0.87 +/- 0.08 cm vs. 0.93 +/- 0.13 cm) and posterior wall thicknesses (0.82 +/- 0.08 cm vs. 0.87 +/- 0.10 cm), mass (38 +/- 7 g/m(2.7) vs. 42 +/- 11 g/m(2.7)), and relative wall thickness (0.33 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.35 +/- 0.05), and increased stress-corrected midwall shortening (all P <0.01). Mitral valve prolapse was associated with a higher prevalence of mild (16 of 57 [28%] vs. 614 of 3283 [19%]) and more severe mitral regurgitation (5 of 57 [9%] vs. 48 of 3283 [1%], P <0.0001). Regression analyses showed prolapse was associated with low ventricular relative wall thickness, high midwall function, and low urine albumin/creatinine ratio, independent of age, sex, body mass index, and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Mitral valve prolapse is fairly common and is strongly associated with mitral regurgitation in the general population. However, it is also associated with lower body weight, blood pressure, and prevalence of diabetes; a more favorable metabolic profile and ventricular geometry; and better myocardial and renal function.

Aged↗

Cardiac and vascular remodeling in older adults with borderline isolated systolic hypertension: the ICARe Dicomano Study.

Although borderline isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), defined as a blood pressure of 140 to 159/<90 mm Hg, is a proven cardiovascular risk factor, the major clinical trials on treatment of ISH have used a cutoff of 160 mm Hg. Moreover, no data exist on the cardiovascular modifications associated with borderline ISH. Therefore, we compared subjects with borderline ISH to subjects with diastolic hypertension (diastolic blood pressure > or =90 mm Hg) or ISH. Community-dwelling residents (age > or =65 years) of a small town in Italy (Dicomano) underwent extensive clinical examination, echocardiography, carotid ultrasonography, and applanation tonometry. Only untreated subjects were included in this analysis: 95 with diastolic hypertension, 87 with borderline ISH, and 43 with ISH. Despite lower systolic and mean pressures in borderline ISH, left ventricular mass was similar to that in diastolic hypertension. In univariate and multivariate analysis, pulse pressure but not systolic pressure was related to left ventricular mass. Borderline ISH subjects had a tendency to greater carotid cross-sectional area and stiffness index than did diastolic hypertensive subjects despite lower mean carotid pressure, whereas the number of atherosclerotic plaques was similar in the 2 groups. Pulse pressure but not systolic pressure was independently related to carotid remodeling. In our community-based, older population, individuals with borderline ISH had a similar prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy and carotid atherosclerosis as that of subjects with diastolic hypertension, despite lower systolic and mean pressures. Among blood pressure values, pulse pressure was the single or strongest independent predictor of cardiovascular remodeling.

Aged↗

Separate and joint effects of systemic hypertension and diabetes mellitus on left ventricular structure and function in American Indians (the Strong Heart Study).

Although the association of systemic hypertension (SH) with diabetes mellitus (DM) is well established, the cardiac features and hemodynamic profile of patients with SH and DM diagnosed by American Diabetes Association criteria have not been elucidated. To address this issue, echocardiograms were analyzed in 1,025 American Indian participants of the Strong Heart Study with neither DM nor SH, 642 with DM alone, 614 with SH alone, and 874 with SH and DM. In analyses that adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, and heart rate, DM and SH were associated with increased left ventricular (LV) wall thicknesses, with the greatest impact of DM on LV relative wall thickness and of the combination of DM and SH on LV mass (both p <0.001). LV fractional shortening was reduced with SH and SH + DM, midwall shortening was reduced with DM, SH, and their combination, and was reduced in both diabetic groups compared with their nondiabetic counterparts (p <0.001). DM alone was associated with lower measures of LV pump performance (stroke volume, cardiac output, and their indexes) than SH alone. Pulse pressure/stroke index, an indirect measure of arterial stiffness, was elevated in participants with DM or SH alone and most in those with both conditions. There were progressive increases from the reference group to DM alone, SH alone, and DM + SH with regard to prevalences of LV hypertrophy (12% to 19%, 29% and 38%) and subnormal LV myocardial function (7% to 10%, 11% and 18%, both p <0.001). In conclusion, DM and SH each have adverse effects on LV geometry and function, and the combination of SH and DM results in the greatest degree of LV hypertrophy, myocardial dysfunction, and arterial stiffness.

Adult↗

The impact of diabetes on left ventricular filling pattern in normotensive and hypertensive adults: the Strong Heart Study.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on left ventricular (LV) filling pattern in normotensive (NT) and hypertensive (HTN) individuals. BACKGROUND: Diastolic abnormalities have been extensively described in HTN but are less well characterized in DM, which frequently coexists with HTN. METHODS: We analyzed the transmitral inflow velocity profile at the mitral annulus in four groups from the Strong Heart Study: NT-non-DM (n = 730), HTN-non-DM (n = 394), NT-DM (n = 616) and HTN-DM (n = 671). The DM subjects were further divided into those with normal filling pattern (n = 107) and those with abnormal relaxation (AbnREL) (n = 447). RESULTS: The peak E velocity was lowest in HTN-DM, intermediate in NT-DM and HT-non-DM and highest in the NT-non-DM group (p < 0.001), with a reverse trend seen for peak A velocity (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, E/A ratio was lowest in HTN-DM and highest in NT-non-DM, with no difference between NT-DM and HTN-non DM (p < 0.001). Likewise, mean atrial filling fraction and deceleration time were highest in HTN-DM, followed by HTN-non-DM or NT-DM and lowest in NT-non-DM (both p < 0.05). Among DM subjects, those with AbnREL had higher fasting glucose (p = 0.03) and hemoglobin A1C (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes mellitus, especially with worse glycemic control, is independently associated with abnormal LV relaxation. The severity of abnormal LV relaxation is similar to the well-known impaired relaxation associated with HTN. The combination of DM and HTN has more severe abnormal LV relaxation than groups with either condition alone. In addition, AbnREL in DM is associated with worse glycemic control.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

Identification of a chromosome 11q23.2-q24 locus for familial aortic aneurysm disease, a genetically heterogeneous disorder.

BACKGROUND: Aortic aneurysms cause significant mortality, and >20% relate to hereditary disorders. Familial aortic aneurysm (FAA) has been described in such conditions as the Marfan and Ehlers-Danlos type IV syndromes, due to defects in the fibrillin-1 and type III procollagen genes, respectively. Other gene defects that cause isolated aneurysms, however, have not thus far been described. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 3 families affected by FAA. No family met the diagnostic criteria for either Marfan or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Echocardiography defined involvement of both the thoracic and abdominal aorta. In family ANA, candidate gene analysis excluded linkage to loci associated with aneurysm formation, including fibrillin-1, fibrillin-2, and type III procollagen, and chromosome 3p24.2-p25. Genome-wide linkage analysis identified a 2.3-cM FAA locus (FAA1) on chromosome 11q23.3-q24 with a maximum multipoint logarithm of the odds score of 4.4. In family ANB, FAA was linked to fibrillin-1. In family ANF, however, FAA was not linked to any locus previously associated with aneurysm formation, including fibrillin-1 and FAA1. CONCLUSIONS: FAA disease is genetically heterogeneous. We have identified a novel FAA locus at chromosome 11q23.3-q24, a critical step toward elucidating 1 gene defect responsible for aortic dilatation. Future characterization of the FAA1 gene will enhance our ability to achieve presymptomatic diagnosis of aortic aneurysms and will define molecular mechanisms to target therapeutics.

Adolescent↗

Prevalence and relation to risk factors of carotid atherosclerosis and left ventricular hypertrophy in systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

The prevalence of preclinical cardiovascular disease was determined in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and control subjects matched for traditional risk factors. Compared with control subjects, patients with SLE had a higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis (41% vs 9%, p < 0.005) and left ventricular hypertrophy (32% vs 5%, p < 0.005), supporting the possibility that chronic inflammation predisposes to premature cardiovascular disease in SLE.

Adult↗

Relations of stroke volume and cardiac output to body composition: the strong heart study.

BACKGROUND: Although cardiac output (CO) plays the vital role of delivering nutrients to body tissues, few data are available concerning the relations of stroke volume (SV) and CO to body composition in large population samples. METHODS AND RESULTS: Doppler and 2D echocardiography and bioelectric impedance in 2744 Strong Heart Study participants were used to calculate SV and CO and to relate them to fat-free body mass (FFM), adipose mass, and demographic variables. Both SV and CO were higher in men than women and in overweight than normal-weight individuals, but these differences were diminished or even reversed by normalization for FFM or body surface area. In both sexes, SV and CO were more strongly related to FFM than adipose mass, other body habitus measures, arterial pressure, diabetes, or age. In multivariate analyses using the average of Doppler and left ventricular SV to minimize measurement variability, FFM was the strongest correlate of SV and CO; other independent correlates were adipose mass, systolic pressure, diabetes, age, and use of digoxin and calcium channel and beta-blockers. CONCLUSIONS: In a population-based sample, SV and CO are more strongly related to FFM than other variables; increased FFM may be the primary determinant of increased SV and CO in obesity.

Adipose Tissue↗

Prevalence and correlates of mitral regurgitation in a population-based sample (the Strong Heart Study).

Evidence suggesting that mitral regurgitation (MR) may be induced by appetite suppressant medications heightens the importance of understanding the prevalence and correlates of MR, especially its relation to obesity, in population-based samples. MR was assessed by color Doppler echocardiography in 3,486 American Indian participants in the Strong Heart Study. Mild (1+) MR was present in 19.2%, moderate (2+) MR in 1.6%, moderately severe (3+) in 0.3%, and severe (4+) in 0.2% of participants. In univariate analyses, MR was unrelated to gender, diabetes, or lipid levels, but was more frequent in North/South Dakota (28.3%) than in Oklahoma (21.6%) or Arizona (14.3%) (p <0.001). MR was related to lower body mass index (BMI) (p <0.001), older age (p <0.001), higher systolic blood pressure (p = 0.003), higher serum creatinine (p <0.001), and higher urine albumin/creatinine ratio (p <0.001). In multivariate analyses, the presence and severity of MR were independently associated with higher serum creatinine, lower BMI, mitral stenosis, prior myocardial infarction, female gender, mitral valve prolapse and, variably, older age. In conclusion, MR, mostly mild, is detected by color Doppler echocardiography in >20% of middle-aged and older adults. MR is independently associated with female gender, lower BMI, older age, and renal dysfunction, as well as with prior myocardial infarction, mitral stenosis, and mitral valve prolapse. It is not related to dyslipidemia or diabetes.

Aged↗

Effect of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy on left ventricular systolic function in systemic hypertension (The LIFE Study). Losartan Intervention For Endpoint.

Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction is normal in most patients with uncomplicated hypertension, but the prevalence and correlates of decreased LV systolic chamber and myocardial function, as assessed by midwall mechanics, in hypertensive patients identified as being at high risk by the presence of LV hypertrophy on the electrocardiogram has not been established. Therefore echocardiograms were obtained in 913 patients with stage I to III hypertension and LV hypertrophy determined by electrocardiographic (Cornell voltage duration or Sokolow-Lyon voltage) criteria after 14 days' placebo treatment. The 913 patients' mean age was 66 years, and 42% were women. Fourteen percent had subnormal LV endocardial shortening, 24% had subnormal midwall shortening, and 13% had reduced stress-corrected midwall shortening. Nineteen percent had normal LV geometry, 11% had concentric remodeling, 47% had eccentric hypertrophy, and 23% had concentric hypertrophy. LV systolic performance evaluated by LV endocardial shortening and midwall shortening was impaired in 10% of patients with normal geometry, 20% with concentric remodeling, 27% with eccentric hypertrophy, and 42% with concentric hypertrophy. Relative wall thickness, an important independent correlate of LV chamber function, was related directly to endocardial shortening and negatively to midwall shortening and stress-corrected midwall shortening. LV mass was the strongest independent correlate of impaired endocardial shortening, midwall shortening, or both. In hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic LV hypertrophy, indexes of systolic performance are subnormal in 10% to 42% with different LV geometric patterns. Depressed endocardial shortening is most common in patients with eccentric LV hypertrophy, whereas impaired midwall shortening is most prevalent in patients with concentric remodeling or hypertrophy. Thus, in hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic LV hypertrophy, impaired LV performance occurs most often, and is associated with greater LV mass and relative wall thickness and may contribute to the high rate of cardiovascular events.

Aged↗

A population-based assessment of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in middle-aged and older adults: the Strong Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Although clinical congestive heart failure (CHF) is increasingly common, few data document the prevalence and correlates of underlying left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (D) in population-based samples. METHODS: Echocardiography was used in the second Strong Heart Study (SHS) examination to identify mild and severe LVD (LV ejection fraction [EF] 40%-54% and <40%, respectively) in 3184 American Indians. RESULTS: Mild and severe LVD were more common in men than women (17.4% vs 7.2% and 4.7% vs 1.8%) and in diabetic than nondiabetic participants (12.7% vs 9.1% and 3.5% vs 1.6%). Stepwise increases were observed from participants with normal EF to those with mild and severe LVD in age (mean 60 vs 61 and 63 years, P <.001), prevalence of overt CHF (2% vs 6% and 28%) and definite coronary heart disease (3% vs 11% and 32%), systolic pressure (129 vs 135 and 136 mm Hg), serum creatinine level (0.98 vs 1.34 and 2.16 mg/dL), and log urinary albumin/creatinine level (3.2 vs 3.7 and 4.7); a negative relation was seen with body mass index (31.1 vs 31.0 and 28.4 kg/m(2)) (all P <.001). In multivariate analyses lower LVEFs were independently associated with clinical CHF and coronary heart disease, lower myocardial contractility, male sex, hypertension, overweight, arterial stiffening (higher pulse pressure/stroke volume) and renal dysfunction (higher serum creatinine level), higher LV mass, and lower relative wall thickness. CONCLUSIONS: LVD, present in approximately 14% of middle-aged to elderly adults, is independently associated with overt heart failure and coronary heart disease, male sex, hypertension, overweight, arterial stiffening, and renal target organ damage and, less consistently, with older age and diabetes.

Aged↗

Relationship of impaired glucose tolerance to left ventricular structure and function: The Strong Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: We have identified increased left ventricular (LV) mass, wall thickness, relative wall thickness, and reduced systolic function in diabetic individuals after adjusting for blood pressure and body mass index. However, the cardiovascular correlates of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), a precursor of diabetes, are unknown. METHODS: We compared LV measurements between 457 American Indian participants in the Strong Heart Study with IGT (34% men) by World Health Organization criteria and 888 participants (49% men) with normal glucose tolerance. RESULTS: Participants with IGT were older (60 vs 59 years, P < .01), more overweight (body mass index, 32 +/- 6 vs 29 +/- 5 g/m(2)), and had higher systolic blood pressure (129 +/- 20 vs 124 +/- 18 mm Hg, P < .001) and heart rate (67 +/- 10 vs 66 +/- 11 beats/min, P = .011). In univariate analyses, women but not men with IGT had higher LV mass (mean, 150 vs 138 g, P < .001) and cardiac index (2.6 vs 2.5 L/min/m(2), P < .05). LV wall thicknesses and relative wall thickness were greater in women and men with IGT. Regression analysis, adjusting for multiple covariates in the entire study population, identified independent associations of IGT with higher LV relative wall thicknesses, LV mass/height(2.7), and cardiac output/height(1.83). CONCLUSIONS: IGT is associated with increased LV wall thickness, mass, and cardiac output independent of effects of relevant covariates.

Aged↗

Reference values for echocardiographic measurements in urban and rural populations of differing ethnicity: the Strong Heart Study.

Discrepancies in reported reference values for left ventricular (LV) dimensions and mass may be due to imaging errors with early echocardiographic methods or effects of subject characteristics and inclusion criteria. To determine whether contemporary echocardiographic methods provide stable normal limits for left ventricular measurements in different populations, M-mode/2-dimensional echocardiography was applied in 176 American Indian participants in the Strong Heart Study and 237 New York City residents who were clinically normal. No consistent difference in any measure of LV size or function existed between populations. Upper normal limits (98th percentile) for LV mass were 96 g/m(2) in women and 116 g/m(2) in men and 3.27 cm/m for LV chamber diameter normalized for height. Thus contemporary M-mode/2D echocardiography provides reference ranges for LV measurements that approximate necropsy measurements and have acceptable stability in apparently normal white, African-American/Caribbean, and American Indian populations.

Aged↗

Echocardiographic left ventricular geometry in hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy: The LIFE Study.

AIM: To assess the prevalence of echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and concentric remodeling in hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic (ECG)-LVH and to estimate the cost-effectiveness of echocardiography and ECG for detection of LVH. DESIGN: Echocardiographic LV measurements and the prevalence of abnormal LV geometric patterns were compared between 964 hypertensive patients with ECG-LVH (Cornell voltage-duration product > 2440 and/or SV1 +/- RV5-6 > 38 mm) participating in the LIFE trial and groups of 282 employed hypertensives and 366 apparently normal adults. RESULTS: Among both women and men, stepwise increases from reference subjects to employed hypertensives to LIFE patients were observed for LV wall thicknesses, chamber size and mass. Mean LV mass/body surface area (BSA) and LV mass/height(2.7) were substantially larger in LIFE patients than normal adults among women (113 vs 69 g/m2 and 55 vs 32 g/m(2.7), p <0.001) and men (127 vs 83 g/m2 and 55 vs 36 g/m(2.7), p < 0.001), with intermediate values in employed hypertensives. Compared to the latter group, LIFE patients had higher prevalences of concentric LVH (25-29% vs 3-4%) and eccentric LVH (45-51% vs 13-17%) but not concentric LV remodeling (8-11% vs 12-14%). LVH was present in 70% of LIFE patients by LV mass/BSA criteria and 76% by LV mass/height(2.7) criteria (odds ratios = 11.4 and 13.5 vs employed hypertensives). CONCLUSIONS: The ECG criteria used in LIFE identify hypertensive patients with a >70% prevalence of anatomic LVH, allowing accurate identification of high-risk status by this commonly used technique.

Aged↗

Accelerated atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: implications for patient management.

One of the most compelling clinical challenges in the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the high incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Potential mechanisms for accelerated atherosclerosis in SLE include chronic inflammation, excess of traditional risk factors, and corticosteroid therapy. Given the high prevalence of atherosclerosis in SLE patients relative to young women in the general population, we propose that the presence of SLE constitutes a sufficiently potent risk factor for ASCVD to warrant more aggressive goals for risk factor reduction and strategies to reduce inflammation.

Adult↗

Prognostic implications of the compensatory nature of left ventricular mass in arterial hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether inappropriate echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) mass (i.e. higher than predicted by individual body size, sex and cardiac load [delta%LVM]) is associated with an increased rate of cardiovascular events, and whether values of LV mass lower than appropriate confer protection. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal. SETTING: Institutional, hospital outpatient clinic. PATIENTS: A total of 294 hypertensive patients, 84 with inappropriate and 21 with low LV mass (lower than appropriate). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cardiovascular fatal and non-fatal events. RESULTS: Baseline delta%LVM was higher in patients with follow-up total (n = 50) or fatal (n = 14) events than in event-free survivors (all P < 0.0001) and predicted events independently of age and systolic pressure (all P < 0.0001). Although the performance was not better than with use of more traditional definition of LV hypertrophy, delta%LVM remained a predictor even in the subgroup of 126 patients (32 total events, 13 deaths) with clear-cut LV hypertrophy (P < 0.009). Patients with low LV mass exhibited supranormal LV chamber and midwall function, slightly higher heart rate and higher cardiac index (all P< 0.01). These patients had the same rate of events as those with appropriate LV mass. CONCLUSIONS: In hypertensive patients, increase in LV mass beyond values required to compensate cardiac workload at a given body size and sex predicts cardiovascular risk independently of age and blood pressure, in the whole population as well as in the subset of patients with LV hypertrophy. Hypertensive patients with levels of LV mass lower than needed to compensate cardiac workload exhibit hyperdynamic circulatory status and the same risk pattern as patients with higher values of LV mass, possibly due to activation of the sympathetic system.

Blood Pressure↗

Relation of left ventricular geometry and function to systemic hemodynamics in hypertension: the LIFE Study. Losartan Intervention For Endpoint Reduction in Hypertension Study.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the relations of systemic hemodynamics to left ventricular (LV) geometric patterns in patients with moderate hypertension and target organ damage. BACKGROUND: LV geometry stratifies risk in hypertension, but relations of LV geometry to systemic hemodynamic patterns in moderately severe hypertension have not been fully elucidated. DESIGN: Cross-sectional case-control study. SETTING: Baseline findings in the echocardiographic substudy of the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint Reduction in Hypertension Study (LIFE) and in a normotensive reference group. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred and sixty-four patients with Stage I-II hypertension and LV hypertrophy by Cornell voltage duration criteria ((SV3 + RaVL [+ 6 mm in women]) x QRS > 2440 mm x ms) or modified Sokolow- Lyon voltage criteria (SV1 + RV5/RV6 > 38 mm), and 366 apparently normal adults. INTERVENTIONS: None. METHODS: Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiograms were used to classify hypertensive patients into groups with normal geometry, concentric remodelling and concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, and to measure stroke volume (SV), cardiac output, peripheral resistance and pulse pressure/SV as a measure of arterial stiffness. Comparisons were adjusted for covariates by general linear model with the Sidak post-hoc test RESULTS: Mean SV was higher in patients with eccentric hypertrophy (83 ml/beat) and lower with concentric remodeling (68 ml/beat) than in normal adults (73 ml/ beat). Cardiac output was highest in patients with eccentric LV hypertrophy and lower with concentric remodeling than eccentric hypertrophy; mean pressure and peripheral resistance were equally high in all hypertensive subgroups, whereas pulse pressure/SV was most elevated (by a mean of 47% versus reference subjects) with concentric remodeling and least so (mean + 15%) with eccentric hypertrophy. In multivariate analysis (Multiple R + 0.68), LV mass was independently related to higher systolic pressure, older age, SV, male gender and body mass index (all P< 0.001). Relative wall thickness was independently related (Multiple R + 0.50) to older age, higher systolic pressure, lower SV (all P< 0.001) and higher body mass index (P + 0.007). SV and cardiac output were lower in patients with low stress-corrected midwall shortening. CONCLUSION: In patients with moderate hypertension and ECG LV hypertrophy, the levels of SV and pulse pressure/ SV, are associated with, and may be stimuli to different LV geometric phenotypes.

Adult↗