title: Predictors of cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy: the Losartan Intervention for Endpoint reduction in hypertension study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed readily available patient characteristics, including albuminuria (not included in traditional cardiovascular risk scores), as predictors of cardiovascular events in hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and developed risk algorithms/scores for outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) study compared effects of losartan-based versus atenolol-based therapy on cardiovascular events in 9193 patients with hypertension and LVH. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified baseline variables with significant impact on development of the primary composite endpoint (cardiovascular death, stroke and myocardial infarction) and its components. Multivariate analysis used a Cox regression model with stepwise selection process. Risk scores were developed from coefficients of risk factors from the multivariate analysis, validated internally using naïve and jack-knife procedures, checked for discrimination and calibration, and compared with Framingham coronary heart disease and other risk scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LIFE risk scores showed increasing endpoint rates with increasing quintile (first to fifth quintile, composite endpoint 2.8-26.7%, cardiovascular death 0.5-14.4%, stroke 1.2-11.3%, myocardial infarction 1.4-8.1%) and were confirmed with a jack-knife approach that adjusts for potentially optimistic bias. The Framingham coronary heart disease and other risk scores overestimated risk in lower risk patients and underestimated risk in higher risk patients, except for myocardial infarction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A number of patient characteristics predicted cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension and LVH. Risk scores developed from these patient characteristics, including albuminuria, strongly predicted outcomes and may improve risk assessment of patients with hypertension and LVH and planning of clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: University of Oslo, Ullevaal Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway. s.e.kjeldsen@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Sverre E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kjeldsen
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Devereux
authors.forename: Darcy A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hille
authors.forename: Paulette A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lyle
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dahlöf
authors.forename: Stevo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Julius
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Edelman
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Snapinn
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: de Faire
authors.forename: Frej
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fyhrquist
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ibsen
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lederballe-Pedersen
authors.forename: Lars H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.forename: Markku S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nieminen
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Omvik
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oparil
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wedel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001262:Atenolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019808:Losartan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001262:Atenolol; D019808:Losartan