Ethnic differences in carotid and left ventricular hypertrophy.
OBJECTIVE
Afro-Caribbean subjects have a higher prevalence of hypertension, a lower prevalence of ischaemic heart disease and a higher premature mortality compared to White Europeans. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is also more prevalent in Afro-Caribbeans even at similar levels of blood pressure. It is widely believed that carotid artery intima-media thickening (IMT) represents an early marker for the development of atheroma, and carotid IMT and LVH are associated in White populations. Whether the relationship between carotid IMT and LVH is similar in Black subjects is unknown.


METHODS
Thirty-eight subjects were studied using carotid and femoral ultrasonography and echocardiography; 19 Afro-Caribbean and 19 White European subjects were matched for age, sex and mean 24 h systolic blood pressure.


RESULTS
The Afro-Caribbean group had a significantly greater left ventricular mass index (LVMI) compared to the White European: 136.4 +/- 6.1 versus 112.4 +/- 6.2 g/m2, P < 0.01. However, carotid IMT, carotid diameter, femoral IMT and femoral diameter were similar between the groups: 0.75 +/- 0.02 versus 0.77 +/- 0.04 mm, 6.54 +/- 0.15 versus 6.56 +/- 0.16 mm, 0.66 +/- 0.03 versus 0.68 +/- 0.03 mm and 8.40 +/- 0.33 versus 8.25 +/- 0.23 mm, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Afro-Caribbean subjects with similar blood pressures have similar mean carotid and femoral IMTs compared to White Europeans, in spite of marked differences in LVMI. Whether this reflects a discrepancy in the degree of cardiovascular risk for similar levels of LVMI or whether this is a reflection of an altered pattern of target organ damage associated with hypertension in Afro-Caribbean subjects is unclear.
Stanton
Alice V
AV
The Peart-Rose Clinic, London, UK.
Mayet
Jamil
J
Chapman
Neil
N
Foale
Rodney A
RA
Hughes
Alun D
AD
Thom
Simon A McG
SA
D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D017691:Caribbean Region; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D044465:White People