[Echocardiography of left ventricular mass in patients with essential hypertension].
BACKGROUND
Patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) are at increased risk of cardiovascular complications and the current guidelines recommend echocardiography for determination of left ventricular mass.


METHODS
We investigated the suitability of repeated measurements to determine the left ventricular mass (LVM) in 30 patients with previously untreated essential hypertension before and after one year of antihypertensive treatment. Fourteen normotensive healthy persons served as controls. Six M-mode echocardiographic measurements (transducer was turned off and on again each time) were performed.


RESULTS
The probability of misclassifying a person with LVH (> 130 g/m(2)) as having normal LVM or vice versa was calculated as a function of the number of measurements. The probability was high for single measurements, but was substantially reduced by performing six repeated measurements. Thus, the risk of misclassification was reduced from 20% to 6% in persons with LVM of 120 g/m(2) or 140 g/m(2) and from 13% to 1% in persons with LVM of 115 or 145 g/m(2). However, for persons whose LVM were close to 130 g/m(2), the probability for misclassifications remained high 20% despite repeated measurements.


CONCLUSIONS
Even though averaged LVM measurements within groups demonstrate clear results, considerable intraindividual variation remains, and in daily clinical practice repeated measurements of LVM are recommended.
Christensen
Kent Lodberg
KL
Medicinsk-kardiologisk Afdeling A, Arhus Sygehus, Arhus Universitetshospital, DK-8000 Arhus C, Denmark. klc@dadlnet.dk
Fenger-Grøn
Morten
M
Buus
Niels Henrik
NH
D000328:Adult; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001262:Atenolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020913:Perindopril / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001262:Atenolol; D020913:Perindopril