title: Masked Hypertension and Left Atrial Dysfunction: A Hidden Association.
abstract: Masked hypertension (MH) is a clinical condition that indicates normal values of clinic blood pressure (BP) but elevated 24-hour BP. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between MH and left atrial (LA) phasic function evaluated by both the volumetric and speckle tracking method. This cross-sectional study included 49 normotensive individuals, 50 patients with MH, and 70 untreated sustained hypertensive patients adjusted by age and sex. MH was diagnosed if clinic BP was normal and 24-hour BP was increased. LA reservoir function was lower in patients with MH and those with sustained hypertension compared with the normotensive group. LA conduit function gradually decreased, while LA booster pump function progressively increased, from normotension to sustained hypertension. Similar results were obtained by two-dimensional echocardiographic strain analysis. Independently of main clinic and echocardiographic characteristics, 24-hour systolic BP was associated with LA passive ejection fraction, LA total longitudinal strain, LA positive longitudinal strain, and LA stiffness index. In conclusion, MH is associated with impairment of LA phasic function and stiffness, and 24-hour systolic BP increment was closely related with LA remodeling.
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Hospital Center "Dr. Dragisa Misovic - Dedinje", Cardiology Department, Belgrade, Serbia.|Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Marijana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tadic
authors.affiliation: University of Milan-Bicocca and Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Clinical Research Unit, Meda, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuspidi
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Hospital Center "Dr. Dragisa Misovic - Dedinje", Cardiology Department, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Radojkovic
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Hospital Center "Dr. Dragisa Misovic - Dedinje", Cardiology Department, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Branislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rihor
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Hospital Center "Dr. Dragisa Misovic - Dedinje", Cardiology Department, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kocijanic
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Hospital Center "Dr. Dragisa Misovic - Dedinje", Cardiology Department, Belgrade, Serbia.|Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Celic
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D059468:Masked Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged