title: Sex-related difference in left ventricular mass in nonhypertensive young adults: role of arterial pressure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood pressure (BP) is higher in men than in women at similar ages through adult life. Interestingly, a similar pattern is detected in left ventricular mass (LVM), classically attributed to differences in body size. However, the existing difference in BP between sexes might be relevant in determining LVM and it has been not fully investigated. Therefore, we set out to determine the impact of nonhypertensive levels of BP on the sex-associated LVM difference.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted population-based study including 283 young students (52% male; age 20.62 ± 1.31 years). BP was determined twice using standard mercury sphygmomanometers in 2 occasions. LVM was determined with M-mode echocardiography. To dissect the relative contribution of BP, volume load, and body size to the sex-related difference in LVM, an analysis of covariance was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean systolic and diastolic BP were 10.00 ± 0.96 and 4.59 ± 0.78 mm Hg higher and LVM was 34.87 ± 3.12 g larger in men than in women, respectively (P < 0.01, t test). When LVM was adjusted to mean BP, the sex difference was reduced by 16%. When LVM was adjusted to body size and hemodynamic load, this difference was reduced by 68.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report in a sample of young nonhypertensive students a difference in LVM between women and men that is partially explained (16%) by sex differences in BP, supporting an early effect of BP on cardiac mass even in the absence of hypertension. A more relevant effect could be expected as the population ages.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Eduardo M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Escudero
authors.forename: Oscar A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Pinilla
authors.forename: Martín R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.forename: Irene L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Ennis
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D049628:Body Size; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult