title: Diastolic filling abnormalities in children with essential hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether essential hypertension impacts diastolic function in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, patients with essential hypertension (n = 50) were compared with a normotensive group (n = 53). Echocardiographic assessment of diastolic function included measures derived from transmitral, color M-mode, and tissue Doppler interrogation. Cardiac dimensions, wall thickness, geometry, and systolic function were also assessed. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of altered diastolic function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diastolic filling abnormalities were found in 36% of the children with blood pressure elevation. Those subjects with concentric hypertrophy were more significantly affected. Abnormalities in indices reflective of left ventricular (LV) relaxation occurred more commonly (39%) than those of LV compliance (33%). Elevated indexed LV mass was found to be the most significant independent predictor of diastolic filling abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LV diastolic filling abnormalities were found in one-third of the pediatric subjects with essential hypertension. Whether these changes represent an adaptive or maladaptive response requires further study.
authors: Cardiovascular Imaging Core Research Laboratory, Division of Cardiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA. william.border@cchmc.org
authors: William L
authors: WL
authors: Border
authors: Thomas R
authors: TR
authors: Kimball
authors: Sandra A
authors: SA
authors: Witt
authors: Betty J
authors: BJ
authors: Glascock
authors: Philip
authors: P
authors: Khoury
authors: Stephen R
authors: SR
authors: Daniels
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003971:Diastole; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male