[Prognostic value of ventricular arrhythmia in hypertensive patients].
OBJECTIVE
Hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is associated with increased risk of arrhythmias and mortality. However, no clinical study demonstrated a significant relation between ventricular arrhythmias and mortality in systemic hypertension.


METHODS
To evaluate the prognostic value of arrhythmogenic markers in systemic hypertension, we included between 1987 and 1993. 214 hypertensive patients, 59.1 +/- 12.8 years old, without symptomatic coronary disease, myocardial infarction, systolic dysfunction, electrolyte disturbances or antiarrhythmic therapy. At inclusion, an ECG, a 24 h Holter ECG (204 patients) with Lown classification of ventricular arrhythmias, an echocardiography (reliable in 187 patients) with left ventricular mass index and ejection fraction calculation, a SAECG (125 patients, enrolled after 1988) with ventricular late potentials (LP) were recorded. QT interval dispersion (QTd) was calculated on 12 leads standard ECG and LVH was appreciated.


RESULTS
At baseline echocardiographic LVH was recorded in 63 patients (33.7%) with normal ejection fraction (75 +/- 7.4%). Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (Lown IVb) was found in 33 pts (16.2%) and LP in 27 patients (21.6%). After a mean follow up of 42.4 +/- 26.8 months, all-cause mortality was 11.2% (24 patients); 17 patients died of cardiac causes (7.9%); of these 9 patients (4.2%) died suddenly. In univariate analysis, age, strain pattern of LVH, advanced Lown classes and abnormal QT dispersion (> 80 ms) were significantly related to global, cardiac and sudden death (p < or = 0.01). Left ventricular mass index was closely related to cardiac mortality (p = 0.002). LP failed to predict mortality. In multivariate analysis, only Lown class IVb was an independent predictor of global and cardiac mortality, increasing the risk of global death 2.6 fold [1.2-6.0] (CI 95%) and the risk of cardiac death 3.5 fold [1.2-9.7] (CI 95%).


CONCLUSIONS
In hypertensive patients the presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on 24 h Holter has a prognostic value.
Galinier
M
M
Service de cardiologie CHU Rangueil, Toulouse.
Balanescu
S
S
Fourcade
J
J
Dorobantu
M
M
Massabuau
P
P
Dongay
B
B
Cabrol
P
P
Fauvel
J M
JM
Bounhoure
J P
JP
D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018754:Ventricular Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology