Persistence of left ventricular hypertrophy is a stronger indicator of cardiovascular events than baseline left ventricular mass or systolic performance: 10 years of follow-up.

Objective: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and depressed left ventricular performance have been shown to be associated to an adverse prognosis in hypertensive patients. It has not been established, however, whether, during chronic antihypertensive treatment, the increased cardiovascular risk is more strictly related to the presence of LVH or of a low left ventricular performance.
Design and Methods: A total of 215 patients with uncomplicated hypertension (129 males, 86 females; age range 18-70 years, mean +/- SD 45 +/- 11) underwent an echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular anatomy and function. In 151 patients (87 males, 64 females; age range 18-70 years, mean 45 +/- 10.4) the echocardiogram was repeated on average 10 +/- 1 years after the initial study. The presence of LVH (left ventricular mass index > 134 g/m2 in males and 110 g/m2 in females) and the midwall left ventricular shortening/end-systolic stress relationship were prospectively analysed as predictors of cardiovascular non-fatal events (n = 23) in patients who were seen at follow-up.
Results: The incidence of non-fatal cardiovascular events was greater in patients with LVH (n = 17, P < 0.0001) and in those with a lower midwall performance (n = 14, P < 0.01) at baseline. At follow-up, the incidence of non-fatal cardiovascular events was significantly greater in patients without a reduction in the left ventricular mass index, after adjusting for traditional risk factors (relative risk 3.52 versus 1.38 in patients with persistence and regression of LVH, respectively; P < 0.01). The baseline midwall fractional shortening was lower in patients with both persistence or regression of LVH (analysis of variance, P < 0.0001) than in patients with a normal left ventricular mass index. In logistic analysis, the left ventricular mass index at follow-up and age were independent determinants of non-fatal cardiovascular events (P < 0.001); without the left ventricular mass index at follow-up, this analysis showed that age, systolic blood pressure at follow-up and baseline midwall fractional shortening were independent determinants of non-fatal cardiovascular events.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that lack of regression of LVH is a stronger indicator of cardiovascular risk than a depressed baseline midwall left ventricular performance.