Independent prognostic information provided by sphygmomanometrically determined pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of baseline pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure to mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.


BACKGROUND
Increased conduit vessel stiffness increases pulse pressure and pulsatile load, potentially contributing to adverse outcomes in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.


METHODS
Pulse and mean arterial pressure were analyzed for their effect on mortality, adjusting for other modifiers of risk, using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis of data collected from 6,781 patients randomized into the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction trials.


RESULTS
Pulse and mean arterial pressure were related positively to each other, age, ejection fraction and prevalence of diabetes and hypertension and inversely to prior myocardial infarction and beta-adrenergic blocking agent use. Higher pulse pressure was associated with increased prevalence of female gender, greater calcium channel blocking agent, digoxin and diuretic use, lower heart rate and a higher rate of reported smoking history. Higher mean arterial pressure was associated with higher heart rate, lower calcium channel blocker and digoxin use and lower New York Heart Association functional class. Over a 61-month follow-up 1,582 deaths (1,397 cardiovascular) occurred. In a multivariate analysis adjusting for the above covariates and treatment assignment, higher pulse pressure remained an independent predictor of total and cardiovascular mortality (total mortality relative risk, 1.05 per 10 mm Hg increment; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.10; p = 0.02). Mean arterial pressure was inversely related to total and cardiovascular mortality (total mortality relative risk, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.94; p <0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
One noninvasive blood pressure measurement provides two independent prognostic factors for survival. Increased conduit vessel stiffness, as assessed by pulse pressure, may contribute to increased mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction, independent of mean arterial pressure.
Domanski
M J
MJ
Clinical Trials Group, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7936, USA. domanskm@gwgate.nhlbi.nih.gov
Mitchell
G F
GF
Norman
J E
JE
Exner
D V
DV
Pitt
B
B
Pfeffer
M A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004656:Enalapril / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D011379:Prognosis; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D019722:Sphygmomanometers; D015996:Survival Rate; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D004656:Enalapril