Aldo Celentano

Association of left ventricular hypertrophy with metabolic risk factors: the HyperGEN study.

Objective To determine whether combinations of metabolic risk factors (obesity, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia) influence the magnitude of left ventricular (LV) mass and prevalence of LV hypertrophy. Design Cross-sectional, relational. Methods A total of 1627 hypertensive (85.9% treated, 1036 women, 1041 African Americans) and 342 normotensive (180 women, 183 African Americans) participants in the Hyper tension G enetic E pidemiology N etwork (HyperGEN) Study, without prevalent cardiovascular disease, were studied. Echocardiographic LV mass, normalized by height2.7 or fat-free mass or body surface area (BSA) and the ratio of stroke volume to pulse pressure as a percentage of predicted (as a crude estimate of arterial compliance) were analyzed in relation to obesity [by body mass index (BMI)], central fat distribution (by waist circumference), diabetes (by ADA criteria) and hypercholesterolemia. Results Obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes were more frequent among hypertensives than normotensives (all P < 0.001). After controlling for age, sex, race and type and combination of antihypertensive medication, LV mass/height2.7, but not LV mass/fat-free mass and LV mass/BSA, increased with the number of metabolic risk factors, both in normotensive and hypertensive participants, also after further adjustment for blood pressure (all P < 0.001). Stroke volume/pulse pressure also decreased in hypertensive, but much less in normotensive subjects, with increasing number of metabolic risk factors, independently of relevant confounders (P < 0.0001). Prevalence of LV hypertrophy was predicted by older age, hypertension, central fat distribution, black race and independently increased with the number of associated metabolic risk factors (P < 0.0001). Conclusions The progressive addition of metabolic risk factors including central obesity, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia is associated with higher LV mass normalized by height2.7, independently of hypertension and other important biological covariates. Obesity played a major role in this association. This finding indicates that LV mass is a potentially useful bioassay of strategies of global cardiovascular prevention.

Cardiac abnormalities in young women with anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE--To identify the characteristics of cardiac involvement in the self-induced starvation phase of anorexia nervosa. METHODS--Doppler echocardiographic indices of left ventricular geometry, function, and filling were examined in 21 white women (mean (SD) 22 (5) years) with anorexia nervosa according to the DSMIII (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) criteria, 19 women (23 (2) years) of normal weight, and 22 constitutionally thin women (21 (4) years) with body mass index < 20. RESULTS--13 patients (62%) had abnormalities of mitral valve motion compared with one normal weight woman and two thin women (p < 0.001) v both control groups). Left ventricular chamber dimension and mass were significantly less in women with anorexia nervosa than in either the women of normal weight or the thin women, even after standardisation for body size or after controlling for blood pressure. There were no substantial changes in left ventricular shape. Midwall shortening as a percentage of the values predicted from end systolic stress was significantly lower in the starving patients than in women of normal weight: when endocardial shortening was used as the index this difference was overestimated. The cardiac index was also significantly reduced in anorexia nervosa because of a low stroke index and heart rate. The total peripheral resistance was significantly higher in starving patients than in both control groups. The left atrial dimension was significantly smaller in anorexia than in the women of normal weight and the thin women, independently of body size. The transmitral flow velocity E/A ratio was significantly higher in anorexia than in both the control groups because of the reduction of peak velocity A. When data from all three groups were pooled the flow velocity E/A ratio was inversely related to left atrial dimension (r = -0.43, p < 0.0001) and cardiac output (r = -0.64, p < 0.0001) independently of body size. CONCLUSIONS--Anorexia nervosa caused demonstrable abnormalities of mitral valve motion and reduced left ventricular mass and filling associated with systolic dysfunction.

Early abnormalities of cardiac function in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of diabetes and minor abnormalities of glucose homeostasis, such as impaired glucose tolerance, as determinants of cardiac function and structure in a working population. We studied a population-based sample of 64 telephone company employees (both sexes, mean age 58 years): 25 with normoglycemia, 15 with impaired glucose tolerance, and 24 with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance test according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. Subjects with myocardial ischemia were excluded. Left ventricular end-systolic dimension, indexed to body surface area, was greater in those with NIDDM (p < 0.05) and in those with impaired glucose tolerance (p < 0.05) with respect to normoglycemic persons. The ratio of the peak early diastolic velocity wave to the late diastolic wave was lower in those with NIDDM (p < 0.05) and in those with impaired glucose tolerance (p < 0.05) than in participants with normoglycemia. Body mass index and blood pressure were similar in the 3 groups. These results clearly indicate that early abnormalities of cardiac structure and function are observed not only in patients with NIDDM, but also in those with impaired glucose tolerance, independent of the confounding role of myocardial ischemia, body weight, and blood pressure.

Relation of Left Ventricular Diastolic Properties to Systolic Function in Arterial Hypertension

BACKGROUND It is unclear whether impairment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic characteristics is independent of systolic dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS To address this issue, 159 consecutive hypertensive patients (44+/-11 years, 78 obese, 96 women) and 165 normotensive subjects (32+/-11 years, 84 obese, 110 women) were studied with the use of Doppler echocardiography. After adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), and sex, we found that ejection fraction (EF; M-mode, z-derived) was higher in hypertensive (66. 6+/-5.2%) than in normotensive (63.9+/-4.4%, P<0.0001) subjects, whereas midwall shortening (MS) was lower (hypertensive patients 16. 9+/-2.0%, normotensive subjects 17.8+/-2.2%, P<0.02), even after correction for end-systolic wall stress (P<0.05). Isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) was greater in hypertensive patients (103+/-14 ms) than in normotensive subjects (78+/-19 ms), as was deceleration time of E velocity and peak A velocity (all P<0.0001). In multivariate analysis, IVRT was unrelated to EF, but a negative relation was found with MS (P<0.001), independent of age, BMI, presence of arterial hypertension, LV geometry, and load (multiple R(2)=0.58). For comparable age, sex distribution, BMI, and blood pressure values, hypertensive patients with lower afterload-adjusted MS exhibited longer IVRT than patients with normal MS (P<0.005). However, IVRT remained higher than in normotensive control subjects after control for LV geometry and load. CONCLUSIONS Doppler indices of delayed LV relaxation can be detected in the presence of normal or supranormal EF but are independently related to impaired MS. A less severely abnormal relaxation, however, can be also detected in the presence of normal midwall function, independent of LV geometry and load. Thus, diastolic abnormalities may occur before systolic dysfunction even when it is measured at the midwall.

Appropriate or inappropriate left ventricular mass in the presence or absence of prognostically adverse left ventricular hypertrophy.

Objectives To evaluate whether assessment of appropriateness of left ventricular mass (LVM) adds to the traditional definition of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Design Cross-sectional, relational. Methods Echocardiographic LVH and appropriateness of LVM were studied in 562 subjects (231 normotensive controls, aged 35 ± 11 years, 142 women; 331 hypertensive patients, aged 47 ± 11 years, 135 women) classified on the basis of either the presence or the absence of both LVH (LVM index ⩾ 51 g/m2.7) and inappropriate LVM (LVM > 128% of the value predicted by an equation including age, sex and stroke work). Results Body mass index was comparable in hypertensive patients and controls. Hypertensive patients without LVH but with inappropriate LVM (n = 21) had higher relative wall thickness and total peripheral resistance than all other groups, whereas cardiac output was lower (all P < 0.001). Midwall mechanics was normal with appropriate LVM, independently of presence of LVH, whereas it was depressed in inappropriate LVM, either with or without LVH (both P < 0.0001). There was no substantial difference in ejection fraction among controls and hypertensive groups. Stress-corrected midwall shortening was more closely related to deviation of LVM from the value appropriate for stroke work, body size and gender (r =− 0.56, P < 0.0001) than to LVM index (r =− 0.26). Conclusions Inappropriate LVM is associated with concentric geometry, high peripheral resistance and depressed wall mechanics. The deviation of LVM from the value appropriate for stroke work, body size and sex correlates with measures of myocardial function better than LVM.

Blood pressure and cardiac morphology in young children of hypertensive subjects.

Our aim was to assess echocardiographic parameters and the effort blood pressure of 50 children of hypertensives with respect to 50 children of normotensives. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures at rest were comparable between the two groups. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI), interventricular septum and posterior wall thicknesses were higher in children of hypertensives (P < 0.01). Systolic blood pressure was higher in children of hypertensives at maximal effort until 5 min of recovery (P < 0.01). Similarly, diastolic blood pressure was higher at 1 and 2 min of recovery (P < 0.01). Direct correlations of mean diastolic wall thickness (r = 0.39, P < 0.01) and LVMI (r = 0.33, P < 0.05) with percentage effort systolic blood pressure increases were found in children of hypertensives but not in children of normotensives. In conclusion, we confirmed early cardiac alterations and a tendency for effort hypertension in children of hypertensives. The relationship between these data could be explained, either by effort systolic overload or by a common response to an increased adrenergic stimulus.

Early changes of the arterial carotid wall in uncomplicated primary hypertensive patients. Study by ultrasound high-resolution B-mode imaging.

Arterial hypertension is frequently responsible for arteriosclerotic damage in the carotid region. Nevertheless, there is as yet no general agreement that hypertension is correlated with lesions detected by noninvasive means in the carotid arteries. We studied, by noninvasive echotomographic technique, 70 uncomplicated primary hypertensive individuals without clinically evident end-organ complications and 30 normotensive matched control subjects to detect early lesions of carotid arteries. The presence of other cardiovascular risk factors was assessed, and heart structure and function were studied by echocardiography. Although hypertensive individuals were comparable to control subjects for other risk factors, they showed a marked increase in the thickness of the intimal-medial complex of the carotid wall (0.71 +/- 0.4 versus 0.56 +/- 0.2 mm, P < .001 in the right carotid and 0.83 +/- 0.3 versus 0.58 +/- 0.2, P < .003 in the left), in left ventricular mass (203 +/- 52 versus 176 +/- 37 g, P < .05), and in the prevalence of definite plaques of the carotid wall, both monolaterally and bilaterally (P < .003 by chi 2 test). Among the different factors contributing to the increase in thickness of the carotid artery wall, standing blood pressure, serum triglycerides, and age were found to be the best predictors (they accounted for about 16% of the variability, P < .005). These results indicate that carotid arteries of hypertensive individuals undergo degenerative changes, just as shown for hypercholesterolemic and diabetic patients in other studies. This supports the use of B-mode ultrasound imaging to detect early involvement of the carotid region before the appearance of any end-organ damage of hypertension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cardiovascular risk factors, angiotensin-converting enzyme gene I/D polymorphism, and left ventricular mass in systemic hypertension

We investigated the influence of major cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus) on the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphism and echocardiographic left ventricular mass in 225 patients with sustained hypertension, assessed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. When the study population was analyzed as a whole, the 3 ACE genotypes did not differ in left ventricular mass (II, 47 g/m2.7; ID, 49 g/m2.7; DD, 51 g/m2.7; p = NS). No difference was found in subjects (n = 135) in whom at least 1 major cardiovascular risk factor was present (II, 51 g/m2.7; ID, 51 g/m2.7; DD: 52 g/m2.7; p = NS). In contrast, in the absence of cardiovascular risk factors, DD subjects (n = 32) exhibited left ventricular mass index higher than non-DD (ID/II) subjects (n = 75; p <0.05). After controlling for age and sex, in the absence of cardiovascular risk factors, the risk of left ventricular hypertrophy was 3.8-fold higher in DD than in non-DD patients (odds ratio 3.8; 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 12.1, p <0.02). We conclude that in the present setting of patients with established sustained systemic hypertension, the absence of risk factors potentially affecting cardiovascular adaptation allows for the detection of a positive association between homozygosity for the D allele of the ACE gene and left ventricular hypertrophy.

Relation of hemodynamics and risk factors to ventricular–vascular interactions in the elderly: the Cardiovascular Health Study

Objective To investigate the interaction between left ventricular (LV) geometry, carotid structure and arterial compliance in relation to hemodynamic stimuli and risk factors (plasma cholesterol, body mass index, insulin resistance, smoking habit, age, sex and race). Design Cross-sectional. Methods Echocardiography and carotid ultrasound were performed in 2375 elderly subjects without signs or history of prevalent cardiovascular disease, diabetes or renal disease (795 men; 298 non-whites; 1215 hypertensive), from the cohort of the Cardiovascular Health Study. Arterial compliance was estimated by the prognostically validated ratio of stroke volume to pulse pressure (SV/PP) as the percent deviation (Δ%) from the value predicted by individual age, heart rate and body weight. Results Intima–medial thickness (IMT) was higher in the presence of LV hypertrophy (LVH) in normotensive and hypertensive subjects and was greatest in the presence of concentric LVH. Maximum carotid lumen diameter (CLD) was also higher in the presence of LVH (and was greatest with eccentric LVH, in association with relatively high values for stroke volume). After adjusting for blood pressure, maximum carotid lumen diameter was directly correlated with stroke volume, and IMT to LV mass (all P < 0.001). Similarly, IMT was also related to maximum carotid lumen diameter, independently of prevalent risk factors (P < 0.001). SV/PP-Δ% was reduced in both groups with concentric LV remodeling (both P < 0.0001) or concentric LVH (both P < 0.05). Adjusting for risk factors did not affect these associations in normotensives, but made them insignificant in hypertensives. In normotensives, IMT was inversely related to SV/PP-Δ% (P < 0.001), independently of risk factors, whereas no significant relation was found in hypertensives. Conclusions The magnitudes of carotid intima–medial thickness and lumen diameter parallel levels of LV mass and geometry, and are directly related to stroke volume and arterial stiffness; this interaction is most evident in the presence of normal blood pressure, whereas it is affected by other cardiovascular risk factors when arterial hypertension is present.

Isolated office hypertension and end-organ damage

Background Patients with elevated blood pressure levels in the doctors office but normal blood pressures at other times have recently been described as having ‘isolated office hypertension’ (IOH). There is debate concerning whether this condition is really benign and thus not in need of treatment. Most of the previous studies on this topic included patients who had already been administered antihypertensive treatment, which unavoidably alters their cardiovascular profile. Objective To evaluate whether recently discovered and never-treated patients with isolated office hypertension have structural or functional abnormalities in comparison with normotensive controls. Methods Patients included in the study underwent 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, M-mode echocardiography and high-resolution echography of carotid arteries. Parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism were also determined. Results We investigated 76 patients (20 with IOH and 56 with sustained hypertension) who had recently been diagnosed hypertensive but never been administered antihypertensive treatment and 32 matched controls. No changes were detected in left ventricular mass (LVM h2.7, 41.5 ± 11, 44.5 ± 10 and 41.5 ± 10 g/cm2.7 in IOH, sustained hypertension and controls, respectively) and in intimal–medial thickness (IMT, 0.54 ± 0.13, 0.59 ± 0.14 and 0.55 ± 0.16 mm, respectively). However, the left ventricular diastolic function was significantly different (E/A = 1.08 ± 0.3, 1.04 ± 0.3 and 1.43 ± 0.3, respectively, P = 0.02) and the carotid diameter significantly lower than that expected from the pressure–diameter relationship for normotensives. Conclusions These results, at variance with those of others, suggest that IOH affects the cardiovascular system even during the early phases of the disease and indicate the need for prospective clinical trials to evaluate the benefit from early treatment of IOH patients.