title: [Ambulatory pulse pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between the left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and the ambulatory pulse pressure and aortic root dimension (AOD) in essential hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We monitored the 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and applied echocardiography in 107 essential hypertensive patients. Using the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) as an index in evaluating LVH, the patients were divided into 2 groups: 29 cases in the LVH group and 78 in the non-LVH group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average levels of 24-hour pulse pressure, daytime pulse pressure, nighttime pulse pressure and AOD were significantly different between patients with LVH and without LVH (P < 0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the changes in nighttime pulse pressure and AOD were closely related to LVMI (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pulse pressure and AOD are important factors leading to LVH in patients with essential hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovasology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Shui-ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011674:Pulse