[Sex differences in echocardiographic indices of left ventricular hypertrophy in arterial hypertension. Influence of age and pressure levels over 24 hours]

To evaluate the difference between the sexes in the echocardiographic indices of left ventricular hypertrophy in essential hypertension, we analysed the results of 24-hour non invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and echocardiography in 195 consecutive untreated hypertensive patients (101 males, 94 females). Patients were divided into 3 age groups: up to 40 years, 41-60 years, and greater than 60 years of age. Clinical blood pressure did not differ between sexes in any of the three groups, while average 24-hour ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were higher in males than in females up to 40 years of age (140/93 vs 129/87 mmHg, p less than 0.01), but not between 41 and 60 years (142/93 vs 141/90 mmHg) nor in those over 60 years of age (151/92 vs 145/91 mmHg). LV mass index was higher in males than in females up to 40 years (93 vs 68 g/m2, p less than 0.01), and between 41 and 60 years (115 vs 90 g/m2, p less than 0.01), but not dissimilar between the sexes over 60 years of age (102 vs 107 g/m2, p = n.s.). In females, LV mass index increased with age (r = 0.33) and body weight (r = 0.38; both p less than 0.01), but none of these relationships was significant in males (r = 0.01 and r = 0.19, respectively). Moreover, all the relations of LV mass to either clinical or ambulatory BP were closer in females than in males. None of the echocardiographic indices of left ventricular systolic function showed statistically significant differences between the sexes in any of the three age groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)