Predictors of cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy: the Losartan Intervention for Endpoint reduction in hypertension study.
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.
Kjeldsen
Sverre E
SE
University of Oslo, Ullevaal Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway. s.e.kjeldsen@medisin.uio.no
Devereux
Richard B
RB
Hille
Darcy A
DA
Lyle
Paulette A
PA
Dahlöf
Björn
B
Julius
Stevo
S
Edelman
Jonathan M
JM
Snapinn
Steven M
SM
de Faire
Ulf
U
Fyhrquist
Frej
F
Ibsen
Hans
H
Lederballe-Pedersen
Ole
O
Lindholm
Lars H
LH
Nieminen
Markku S
MS
Omvik
Per
P
Oparil
Suzanne
S
Wedel
Hans
H
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
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001262:Atenolol; D019808:Losartan