高血压患者左室构型改变与左心舒张功能

目的探讨高血压患者不同左室构型改变与左心舒张功能的关系.方法应用超声心动图和定量组织速度成像技术检测109例原发性高血压患者和26例对照组左心结构及舒张功能各项指标.按照Ganau分类法将高血压患者左室构型分为正常左室构型(A)、向心性重构(B)、向心性肥厚(C)、离心性肥大(D)4种构型,并与对照组(N)比较,对各项指标进行单因素方差分析.结果高血压B、C、D组等容舒张时间(IVRT)延长,后间隔基底段(PS Bas)[N:(84.8±23.4),B:(118.9±34.6),C:(133.1±34.6),D:(161.9±62.5)ms,P＜0.05];等容舒张期峰值速度(VIR)B、C组和A组的多数节段高于对照组;对照组16.3%节段出现等容舒张期正向波,83.7%为负向波,高血压组64%节段出现等容舒张期正向波,36%为负向波;快速充盈期心肌沿长轴的峰值速度(Ve)高血压组均低于对照组;B、C两组Ve/Va减低.高血压组左房径均大于对照组,B、C、D组逐渐增大.二尖瓣口血流频谱B、C两组VE/VA＜1,而在D组VE/VA＞1.结论不同左心室构型高血压患者的左心舒张功能均有减低.应用QTVI能够检出二尖瓣血流频谱VE/VA正常的舒张功能异常,并能检测出等容舒张期局部心肌的异常活动,较频谱多普勒更加敏感.     

肥厚型心肌病左室局部与整体舒张功能研究新方法定量组织多普勒速度成像技术

目的　探讨定量组织多普勒速度成像技术(QTVI)评价肥厚型心肌病 (HCM )患者左室局部与整体心肌舒张功能的价值。方法　应用QTVI获取 36例正常人和 4 2例HCM患者左室长轴方向不同室壁心肌多普勒速度曲线。离线分析正常人与HCM患者不同室壁舒张期心肌多普勒运动速度。测量的快速充盈期和心房收缩期速度 (Ve和Va)、Ve/Va比值反映左室局部舒张功能 ,脉冲多普勒测量二尖瓣舒张期血流频谱E/A值、左室等容舒张期 (IRT)反映左室整体功能 ,常规超声心动图测量室壁厚度。结果　①HCM患者肥厚室间隔节段Ve、Va、Ve/Va的测值及二尖瓣血流频谱E/A值均比正常人测值明显降低 ,IRT比正常人明显延长(P <0 0 5 ) ;②HCM患者肥厚室间隔节段Ve、Va、Ve/Va的测值比其他左室节段明显降低 ;③E/A比值异常的HCM患者Ve/Va与E/A有相关关系 (r =0 70 4 )。④非梗阻型HCM患者肥厚室间隔厚度IVSt与Ve/Va有负相关关系 (r =- 0 6 14 )。结论　QTVI定量评价HCM患者左室局部心肌舒张功能以及局部与整体心肌舒张功能关系 ,为进一步了解HCM心肌舒张功能的变化提供较为敏感、精确的方法。     

定量组织速度成像对高血压患者左室心肌功能的评价

目的探讨定量组织速度成像(QTVI)评价高血压患者左室心肌功能的价值。方法于心尖四腔切面,应用QTVI获取20例正常人及66例原发高血压患者不同节段室壁的组织多普勒速度曲线,并测量以下参数:不同节段心肌收缩期峰值速度(Vs)、舒张早期峰值速度(Ve)、舒张晚期峰值速度(Va);应用频谱多普勒(PW)获取二尖瓣口舒张早期血流速度峰值E及舒张晚期血流速度峰值A;于左室长轴,应用M型超声心动图获取左室射血分数(LVEF)。结果1、高血压患者左室心肌Vs与LVEF呈正相关(r=0.9,P<0.001)。2、当基底部心肌Vs>7cm/s、中间部Vs>5cm/s、心尖部Vs>3cm/s时,判定LVEF>50%的敏感性87%、特异性85%。3、高血压无左室肥厚时,节段性心肌Vs与血压正常组无变化,Ve/Va比值下降;当左室发生向心性肥厚时,Vs最高,Ve/Va比值倒置;左室离心性肥厚时,Ve/Va比值倒置,而与通过二尖瓣口血流多普勒频谱测定的E/A出现不一致变化。结论QTVI可以简洁、直观、准确评价心肌功能。     

定量组织速度成像对高血压患者左室心肌功能的评价

目的探讨定量组织速度成像(QTVI)评价高血压患者左室心肌功能的价值.方法于心尖四腔切面,应用QTVI获取20例正常人及66例原发高血压患者不同节段室壁的组织多普勒速度曲线,并测量以下参数不同节段心肌收缩期峰值速度(Vs)、舒张早期峰值速度(Ve)、舒张晚期峰值速度(Va);应用频谱多普勒(PW)获取二尖瓣口舒张早期血流速度峰值E及舒张晚期血流速度峰值A;于左室长轴,应用M型超声心动图获取左室射血分数(LVEF).结果1、高血压患者左室心肌Vs与LVEF呈正相关(r=0.9,P＜0.001).2、当基底部心肌Vs＞7 cm/s、中间部Vs＞5 cm/s、心尖部Vs＞3 cm/s时,判定LVEF＞50%的敏感性87%、特异性85%.3、高血压无左室肥厚时,节段性心肌Vs与血压正常组无变化,Ve/Va比值下降;当左室发生向心性肥厚时,Vs最高,Ve/Va比值倒置;左室离心性肥厚时,Ve/Va比值倒置,而与通过二尖瓣口血流多普勒频谱测定的E/A出现不一致变化.结论QTVI可以简洁、直观、准确评价心肌功能.     

超声心动图对高血压无左室肥厚合并糖尿病患者心功能的评估

目的应用超声心动图评估高血压无左室肥厚合并糖尿病患者的左室收缩和舒张功能。方法对35名高血压无左室肥厚合并糖尿病患者(A组)和33名健康对照者(B组),应用M型、二维超声心动图测量左室射血分数(LVEF)、短轴缩短率(FS)、左室心肌质量指数(LVMI)。应用彩色多普勒和组织多普勒成像(TDI)技术分别检测二尖瓣口血流频谱及二尖瓣环收缩期、舒张期运动速度,并进行对比研究。结果 (1)两组间LVEF、FS、LVMI均无统计学差异(P>0.05);(2)A组二尖瓣口舒张晚期血流速度A峰明显高于B组,等容舒张时间(IVRT)较B组延长,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);(3)A组二尖瓣环收缩期峰值速度(VS)明显小于B组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);A组舒张早期峰值速度(VE)、VE/VA比值均明显小于B组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05,P<0.01)。结论 (1)本文高血压无左室肥厚合并糖尿病患者左心室收缩功能和舒张功能均有异常改变;(2)TDI技术比PWD技术准确,二者结合,可以为评估左心室功能提供更客观的依据。     

组织多普勒成像评价原发性高血压患者左室舒张功能

目的应用组织多普勒成像（TDI）评价早期原发性高血压不伴左心室肥厚患者的左室舒张功能,并探讨其临床意义。方法对80例早期不伴左心室肥厚原发性高血压患者及50例正常人（对照组）应用TDI及脉冲多普勒（PW）技术,分别检测二尖瓣环舒张期运动速度及二尖瓣口血流频谱,并进行对比研究。结果高血压组用PW测舒张早期峰值／舒张晚期峰值（E／A）、E、TDI模式测量舒张早期峰值／舒张晚期峰值（Ve／Va）、Ve较对照组显著降低（P〈0．05）;高血压组左室等容舒张时间较对照组显著延长（P〈0．05）;高血压组与对照组比较收缩峰值速度有降低,但差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论高血压患者在发生左室肥厚前已有舒张功能异常;TDI技术比PW技术准确,二者结合,可以为评估左室舒张功能提供更客观的诊断依据。     

原发性高血压患者左心室功能的临床研究

目的探讨原发性高血压患者左心室功能的临床研究。方法原发性高血压患者176例,按Ganau法分为4型:正常构型组(A组)46例、向心性重构组(B组)53例、向心性肥厚组(C组)40例、离心性肥厚组(D组)37例;正常对照组35例。超声心动图测量舒张末室间隔厚度(IVS)、左心室后壁厚度(LVPW)及左心室舒张末期内径,二尖瓣血流频谱左心室舒张早期血流峰速(E),舒张晚期血流峰速(A)值比,左心室射血分数(LVEF)及Tei指数。各组血浆脑钠肽(BNP)浓度对比分析。结果正常对照组与高血压各组比较,在年龄、性别均差异无显著性意义,C组、D组收缩压最高,左心房内径最大(P<0.05);B组、D组IVS、LVPW轻度增厚(P<0.05);高血压各组的E/A值均降低(P<0.05),LVEF值只有D组与正常对照组比较差异有显著性意义;各组Tei指数差异有显著性意义;BNP在B组、C组、D组差异有显著性意义。结论Tei指数,BNP共同评价原发性高血压患者不同左心室构型的心功能情况,对原发性高血压的治疗效果和预后有临床应用价值。     

左室壁内缩短分数评价收缩功能及其与舒张功能相关性的研究

目的:探讨左室壁内缩短分数(mFS )评价高血压患者收缩功能及其与左室舒张功能的关系.方法:收集高血压组51例,正常对照组47例.分析临床特点,行超声心动图检查.收缩功能测定左室室壁厚度,左室内径,左室容量,测定射血分数(EF),缩短分数(FS)以及左室mFS.心脏舒张功能,取二尖瓣血流频谱,记录二尖瓣舒张期血流频谱,记录舒张早期(E)和舒张晚期(A)血流速度峰值.采用组织速度多普勒成像技术测定二尖瓣环室间隔侧和侧壁侧的舒张早期心肌运动速度(Em)和舒张晚期心肌运动速度(Am),取平均值.探讨左室收缩功能和舒张功能的相关性.结果:①收缩功能:高血压组与正常对照组比较:左室舒张末间隔厚度明显增加[(1.18±0.28):(0.95±0.13),P<0.001]、左室舒张末后壁厚度明显增加[(1.01± 0.17):(0.89±0.17),P<0.01]、左室mFS明显降低[( 18.0± 4.9) vs (22.3±5.9), P<0.01],而2组间左室EF和FS差异无统计学意义.②舒张功能:高血压组与对照组比较,二尖瓣血流频谱差异无统计学意义;组织多普勒成像显示,二尖瓣环Em明显降低[(8.22± 2.23):(9.91±2.52),P<0.05],二尖瓣环Em/Am明显降低[(0.72± 0.23):(0.98±0.26),P<0.01]、二尖瓣E/Em明显增加[(9.38±3.19):(7.45±2.10), P<0.01].③mFS与Em/Am显著正相关(r=0.55,P<0.001 )、与E/Em显著负相关(r=-0.38,P<0.05).左室EF和FS与上述指标无相关性.结论:左室mFS是评价高血压患者收缩功能的有力指标,与早期舒张功能受损有关.     

高血压患者左室构型改变与心功能的关系

目的探讨高血压患者左心室构型改变对心功能的影响。方法对高血压组164例和正常对照组30名进行常规心脏超声、心脏收缩功能和舒张功能检查。按Gnanu分类法将高血压组划分为正常构型组、向心性重构组、向心性肥厚组和离心性肥厚组。结果 E/A值在正常构型、向心性重构组、向心性肥厚组依次降低,在离心性肥厚组反而增高,舒张早期减速度(EDT)、等容舒张时间(IVRT)在高血压各组无统计学意义(P0.05);左心室短轴缩短率(FS)、左室射血分数(EF)在离心性肥厚组降低;心搏量(SV)、心输出量(CO)在正常构型、向心性重构组中无明显变化,而向心性重构组稍降低,离心性肥厚组稍增加;高血压各组Tei指数较正常对照组增高,在正常构型、向心性重构组、向心性肥厚组和离心性肥厚组呈依次增高,离心性肥厚组的Tei指数最高。结论高血压不同左室构型可引起左室收缩、舒张功能不同程度损害,以舒张功能障碍先于收缩功能障碍。而收缩功能受损以离心性肥厚组为明显。临床上应有效控制其构型的发展可从根本上减少心血管事件的发生率和病死率。     

新建中复脉汤治疗舒张性心力衰竭的临床观察

目的观察新建中复脉汤对舒张性心力衰竭病人的临床疗效。方法 60例舒张性心力衰竭病人随机平均分成两组,治疗组在对照组基础上加用新建中复脉汤。观察两组临床疗效,超声心动图检测舒张早期二尖瓣血流峰值/舒张晚期二尖瓣血流峰值(E/A比值);E峰减速时间(Dt值)和等容舒张时间(IVRT);收缩期S波/舒张期D波;二尖瓣口血流频谱E峰速度/二尖瓣环舒张早期E’峰速度(E/E’比值);左房容积指数(LAVI)等左室舒张功能参数。结果两组治疗后临床症状及左室舒张功能参数均有明显改善,与治疗前比较,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。而治疗组疗效明显优于对照组(P0.01)。结论新建中复脉汤联合常规西药治疗气虚血瘀型舒张性心力衰竭,能改善临床症状及超声心动图左室舒张功能参数,对舒张性心力衰竭有良好的治疗效果。     

Left ventricular remodeling impairs coronary flow reserve in hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND : In arterial hypertension, changes in both left ventricular mass and geometry may occur. Concentric left ventricular remodeling (i.e. an increased wall thickness relative to end diastolic diameter) has been implicated as an independent cardiovascular risk factor in hypertensive patients. The influence of concentric remodeling on the coronary microcirculation is not known. OBJECTIVE : To investigate the impact of left ventricular geometry on coronary flow reserve in patients with arterial hypertension and angiographically normal coronary arteries. METHODS : Following exclusion of coronary artery disease by cardiac catheterization, coronary flow reserve (dipyridamole, 0.5 mg/kg body weight intravenously; argon gas-chromatographic method) was measured in 49 patients with arterial hypertension and in six age-matched controls. Hypertensive patients were grouped by echocardiographic findings according to left ventricular mass and relative left ventricular wall thickness (i.e. left ventricular posterior wall plus septal thickness divided by end diastolic diameter): seven patients had normal left ventricular mass and geometry, 19 had eccentric hypertrophy (i.e. normal relative wall thickness but increased mass), concentric remodeling (i.e. normal mass but increased relative wall thickness) was present in nine patients, and 14 patients had concentric hypertrophy. RESULTS : There was a marked reduction in coronary flow reserve in all hypertensive groups as compared with control values (4.2 +/- 0.5). Within the hypertensive subgroups, the coronary flow reserve was differentially reduced in the following rank order: concentric remodeling (2.0 +/- 0.7) approximately concentric hypertrophy (2.3 +/- 0.8) < eccentric hypertrophy (2.9 +/- 0.6) mu normal geometry (2.7 +/- 0.4). Multi-factorial regression analysis showed that the relative wall thickness but not left ventricular mass was independently linked to the coronary flow reserve. CONCLUSIONS : Concentric left ventricular remodeling is an independent predictor of the coronary flow reserve in hypertensive patients with chest pain and normal coronary angiogram. The impairment of the coronary microcirculation may contribute to the excess cardiovascular event rate associated with hypertensive concentric left ventricular remodeling.     

Longitudinal global and regional left ventricular function in patients with hypertensive disease (tissue Doppler echocardiography data)

Impulse tissue doppler study was carried out in 154 patients with hypertensive disease (age 35-60 years) and 39 practically healthy volunteers (mean age 43.4+/-5.5 years). According to left ventricular geometry the following groups of patients were distinguished (after A.Ganau): with normal geometry (n=47), with concentric remodeling (n=12), with concentric hypertrophy (n=53), and with eccentric hypertrophy (n=42). Tissue doppler spectrum was registered from mitral annulus and 15 left ventricular segments. The following characteristics were obtained: in each annular spectrum - maximal velocities of peaks s(m), e(m), a(m), ratio e(m)/a(m), isovolumic relaxation time (ivrt) and their average values (from 6 measurements); in each left ventricular segmental spectrum - maximal velocities of waves s, e, a, ratio e/a and segmental ivrt. Compared with healthy persons patients with hypertension had lowered longitudinal global systolic function of the left ventricle. Patients with concentric left ventricular hypertrophy had least values of e(m), e(m)/a(m), ivrt(m) and greatest number of dysfunctional (e/a<1.0 and ivrt>90 ms) segments. Some hypertensive patients with normal values of transmitral blood flow had signs of segmental diastolic dysfunction. Among patients with normal left ventricular geometry isolated segmental diastolic dysfunction was revealed according to e/a in 12 of 20 (60%), according to ivrt in 11 of 22 (50%). All patients with concentric and eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy had segmental diastolic dysfunction. Thus impulse tissue doppler study is indicated to patients with hypertension and normal parameters of transmitral flow for assessment of longitudinal segmental diastolic left ventricular function.     

Variations in cardiac diastolic function in hypertensive patients with different left ventricular geometric patterns.

To evaluate the alteration of cardiac function in hypertensive patients with different left ventricular geometric patterns. Echocardiography was used to study left ventricular geometry and cardiac diastolic function in 117 cases of essential hypertension, with 45 normal cases as controls. Echocardiographic date were used to calculated the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT), which values in turn were used to divide the subjects into four groups. The left atrial dimension of the group, with the exception of these hypertensives who showed normal geometry, was larger than that of the control group. The damage of peak of E velocity, peak of A velocity, E/A and the slope between the E and F points (E to F slope) were greater than in hypertension than in the control group. The concentric hypertrophy group and eccentric hypertrophy group suffered more serious damage of left ventricular diastolic function than the concentric remodeling group, and damage of left ventricular diastolic function in the concentric remodeling group was greater than that in the normal geometry group. The degree of cardiac diastolic function damage differed among patients with different left ventricular geometric patterns, when the cardiac structure was changed, the degree of cardiac diastolic function damage increased.     

The effect of left ventricular geometry on myocardial performance index in hypertensive patients]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the myocardial performance index (MPI) and left ventricular (LV) geometry in hypertensive patients. METHODS: The MPI, which is a marker of systolic and diastolic ventricular function, was measured in 64 hypertensive patients and in 15 healthy persons (Control). According to the value of relative wall thickness (RWT) and LV mass index (LVMI), hypertensive patients were subdivided into four groups: normal (N), 17 patients (26.6%); concentric remodeling (CR), 21 patients (32.8%); concentric hypertrophy (CH), 16 patients (25%); and eccentric hypertrophy (EH), 10 patients (15.6%). RESULTS: A higher MPI was found in all patient groups (N, 0.56+/-0.11; CR, 0.59+/-0.11; CH, 0.68+/-0.19; EH, 0.57+/-0.10) compared with the controls (0.44+/-0.09) (p=0.004, p<0.001, p<0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). In the CH group, the MPI was also higher than in N, CR and EH groups (p=0.006, p<0.03 and p=0.009, respectively). No significant difference was found among N, CR and EH groups. The MPI was correlated with LVMI (r=0.28, p=0.014), RWT (r=0.24, p=0.035) and interventricular septum diastolic thickness (r=0.32, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: The systolic and diastolic LV functions are impaired in all subgroups of hypertensive patients according to their LV geometry compared to control group. This impairment is more advanced in patients with concentric hypertrophy than in those with the other LV geometric patterns.     

高血压病患者左心室几何构型与舒张功能变化的关系

目的　研究高血压病患者左心室重构与舒张功能变化的关系及影响因素。方法　依照左心室质量指数 (L V-MI)和相对室壁厚度 (RWT)将 89例无合并症的高血压病患者分为左心室正常构型组 (17例 )、向心性重构组 (2 3例 )、向心性肥厚组 (33例 )、离心性肥厚组 (16例 )。对超声心动图心脏结构和功能测值进行多元逐步回归分析 ,筛选出对左心室舒张功能有独立影响因素。在校正这些因素影响后 ,比较不同左心室几何构型组间心脏舒张功能的差异 ,82例正常人作为对照。结果　左心室舒张功能的主要独立影响因素包括性别、年龄、心率、L VMI,部分指标还有体重指数 (BMl)和吸烟水平。不同构型组间舒张功能指标未经校正或仅经性别、年龄、心率和 BMI校正后差异虽都具有高度显著性 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,但再校正或排外血压水平的影响后 ,组间差异显著性已不复存在。结论　不同构型组间左心室舒张功能指标的差异主要是血压水平不同所致。左心室结构指标虽是舒张功能指标的独立影响因素 ,但其影响强度尚不足以达到使不同构型组间差异有统计学显著性的程度。     

Relationship between left ventricular geometry and brain natriuretic peptide levels in elderly subjects

BACKGROUND: The plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level in elderly patients is elevated, but the mechanism of this increase is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between left ventricular geometry and BNP levels in elderly subjects. METHODS: We investigated the effects of left ventricular (LV) geometry on plasma BNP levels by measuring these levels in elderly patients with or without LV hypertrophy. Patients were classified into 4 groups based on echocardiographic data: normal geometry; concentric remodeling; eccentric hypertrophy (EH), and concentric hypertrophy (CH). The samples were analyzed for BNP and endothelin-1 (ET-1). RESULTS: Among the 4 groups, there were no differences in plasma ET-1 levels, ejection fraction, percent fractional shortening, or indices of diastolic function. Plasma BNP levels in EH and CH were higher than those in the normal geometry and concentric remodeling groups. There was a good correlation between plasma BNP levels and the relative wall thickness in EH, and between plasma BNP levels and the posterior wall thickness in CH (r = -0.474, r = 0.396, respectively, both p < 0.05). There were also good correlations between plasma BNP levels and LV mass index (LVMI). A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that age and LVMI were significant independent contributors to plasma BNP levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that aging, increased wall stress and the extent of cardiac hypertrophy contribute to elevated BNP levels in the elderly.     

高血压患者不同左室构型的肺静脉血流比较

用脉冲多普勒超声评价不同左室构型高血压患者的肺静脉血流频谱.材料和方法:对110例单纯高血压患者(男81例,女29例),进行二维和脉冲多普勒超声检查,根据左室重量及相对室壁厚度分成四种不同构型,比较四组间肺静脉血流频谱特点.结果:110例高血压患者中构型正常者占55.45%(61例),向心性重构者占21.82%(24例),向心性肥厚者占10%(11例),偏心性肥厚者占12.73%(14例).肺静脉血流频谱示向心性肥厚组及偏心性肥厚组的VTIs、VTIs/(VTIs+VTId)较正常组及向心性重构组低(P<0.05),ARD增大,ARD/AD延长(P<0.005).结论:左室不同构型的高血压患者肺静脉血流频谱不同,提示向心性肥厚组及偏心性肥厚组左室舒张功能的损害较向心性重构组更明显.     

Relationship between Tei index of myocardial performance and left ventricular geometry in Nigerians with systemic hypertension

Introduction

Left ventricular geometry is associated with cardiovascular events and prognosis. The Tei index of myocardial performance is a combined index of systolic and diastolic dysfunction and has been shown to be a predictor of cardiovascular outcome in heart diseases. The relationship between the Tei index and left ventricular geometry has not been well studied. This study examined the association between the Tei index and left ventricular geometry among hypertensive Nigerian subjects.

Methods

We performed echocardiography on 164 hypertensives and 64 control subjects. They were grouped into four geometric patterns based on left ventricular mass and relative wall thickness. The Tei index was obtained from the summation of the isovolumic relaxation time and the isovolumic contraction time, divided by the ejection time. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16.0.

Results

Among the hypertensive subjects, 68 (41.4%) had concentric hypertrophy, 43 (26.2%) had concentric remodelling, 24 (14.6%) had eccentric hypertrophy, and 29 (17.7%) had normal geometry. The Tei index was significantly higher among the hypertensives with concentric hypertrophy (CH), concentric remodelling (CR) and eccentric hypertrophy (EH) compared to the hypertensives with normal geometry (0.83 ± 1.0, 0.71 ± 0.2, 0.80 ± 0.2 vs 0.61 ± 0.2, respectively). The Tei index was higher among hypertensives with CH and EH than those with CR. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the Tei index was related to ejection fraction, fractional shortening and mitral E/A ratio.

Conclusion

Among Nigerian hypertensives, LV systolic and diastolic functions (using the Tei index) were impaired in all subgroups of hypertensive patients according to their left ventricle geometry compared to the control group. This impairment was more advanced in patients with concentric and eccentric hypertrophy.     

Patterns of left ventricular hypertrophy and geometric remodeling in essential hypertension.

The spectrum of left ventricular geometric adaptation to hypertension was investigated in 165 patients with untreated essential hypertension and 125 age- and gender-matched normal adults studied by two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography. Among hypertensive patients, left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness were normal in 52%, whereas 13% had increased relative wall thickness with normal ventricular mass ("concentric remodeling"), 27% had increased mass with normal relative wall thickness (eccentric hypertrophy) and only 8% had "typical" hypertensive concentric hypertrophy (increase in both variables). Systemic hemodynamics paralleled ventricular geometry, with the highest peripheral resistance in the groups with concentric remodeling and hypertrophy, whereas cardiac index was super-normal in those with eccentric hypertrophy and low normal in patients with concentric remodeling. The left ventricular short-axis/long-axis ratio was positively related to stroke volume (r = 0.45, p less than 0.001), with cavity shape most elliptic in patients with concentric remodeling and most spheric in those with eccentric hypertrophy. Normality of left ventricular mass in concentric remodeling appeared to reflect offsetting by volume "underload" of the effects of pressure overload, whereas eccentric hypertrophy was associated with concomitant pressure and volume overload. Thus, arterial hypertension is associated with a spectrum of cardiac geometric adaptation matched to systemic hemodynamics and ventricular load. Concentric left ventricular remodeling and eccentric hypertrophy are more common than the typical pattern of concentric hypertrophy in untreated hypertensive patients.     

Relative wall thickness is an independent predictor of left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunctions in essential hypertension.

The objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship between left ventricular geometry and left ventricular (LV) function in patients with untreated essential hypertension. We evaluated LV systolic and diastolic functions by M-mode echocardiography in 24 normotensive control subjects (NC) and 129 patients with essential hypertension. Patients were divided into four groups according to the relative wall thickness and LV mass index: a normal left ventricle (n=57), a concentric remodeling (n=7), a concentric hypertrophy (n=31), and an eccentric hypertrophy (n=34) group. LV systolic function as measured by midwall fractional shortening (FS) was significantly decreased in both the concentric remodeling and concentric hypertrophy groups; no differences were observed for endocardial FS. LV diastolic function as measured by isovolumic relaxation time (IRT) was also decreased in both the concentric remodeling and concentric hypertrophy groups. In multivariate analysis, relative wall thickness (p<0.0001), end-systolic wall stress (p<0.0001), and systolic blood pressure (p=0.002) were independently associated (r2=0.72) with midwall FS in a model including age, LV mass index, body mass index, diastolic blood pressure and IRT. In addition, relative wall thickness (p=0.0008) and age (p<0.0001) were independently associated (r2=0.31) with IRT in a model including LV mass index, end-systolic wall stress, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and midwall FS. We conclude that LV geometry as evaluated by relative wall thickness may provide a further independent stratification of LV systolic and diastolic functions in essential hypertension.