title: Comparison of left atrial volume and function in non-dipper versus dipper hypertensives: A real-time three-dimensional echocardiography study.
abstract: Non-dipper hypertension is associated with an increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Besides this, the left atrial (LA) size and functions are accepted to be prognostic factors in various cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of nondipper hypertension on LA volume and functions using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3-DE).
  
  
  
  Forty dipper and 52 non-dipper hypertensives enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study. Patients with any comorbidities that have a potential for causing structural cardiac alterations were excluded. Two-dimensional echocardiography (2-DE) and RT3-DE were performed to assess LA volumes and functions. The statistical tests used in this study were Shapiro-Wilk's test, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, Spearman's test, and Pearson's correlation test.
  
  
  
  LA minimal volume, LA volume before LA contraction, and LA total systolic volume were higher in non-dipper hypertensives than in dipper hypertensives (p<0.001, p=0.003, and p=0.03, respectively). Only, the 2-DE measurements of interventricular septal thickness and E/Em ratio were higher in non-dipper hypertensives (p=0.001 and p=0.03, respectively). There was a moderate correlation between LA minimal volume and LA volume before LA contraction with E/Em (r=0.31, p=0.007 and r=0.32, p=0.005, respectively).
  
  
  
  Although LA volume and passive LA systolic functions measured by RT3-DE are significantly increased in non-dipper hypertensives, the alterations in active LA systolic functions are not prominent. RT-3DE may be used to define LA volume and function alterations in conditions that have capabilities of adverse cardiac remodeling such as systemic hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Turgut Özal Medical Center, İnönü University, Malatya-Turkey. necipermis@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Necip
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ermiş
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Cardiology, Kars State Hospital, Kars-Turkey.
authors.forename: Yılmaz Ömür
authors.initials: YÖ
authors.lastname: Otlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Turgut Özal Medical Center, İnönü University, Malatya-Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdülmecit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afşin
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Cardiology, Malatya State Hospital, Malatya-Turkey.
authors.forename: Şıho
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Hidayet
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Turgut Özal Medical Center, İnönü University, Malatya-Turkey.
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Açıkgöz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Turgut Özal Medical Center, İnönü University, Malatya-Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cansel
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Turgut Özal Medical Center, İnönü University, Malatya-Turkey.
authors.forename: Jülide
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yağmur
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Turgut Özal Medical Center, İnönü University, Malatya-Turkey.
authors.forename: M Cengiz
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Çolak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies