Relationship between left ventricular geometric pattern and systolic and diastolic function in treated Nigerian hypertensives.

INTRODUCTION: Despite a high worldwide prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy among black patients, the association of a specific left ventricular geometric pattern with left ventricular dysfunction is rare. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of such an association in Nigerian hypertensives. METHODS: This was a retrospective study consisting of 188 treated hypertensives. Echocardiography was used to allocate the patients to the following four groups: normal geometric pattern, concentric remodelling, eccentric hypertrophy and concentric hypertrophy. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 55.95 +/- 10.71 years. There were 75 females (39.9%). Concentric hypertrophy occurred in 72 (38.3%) patients and concentric remodelling in 53 (28.2%). Only 30 (16%) had a normal left ventricular geometric pattern. Hypertensive subjects with eccentric hypertrophy had the lowest ejection fraction, fractional fibre shortening and left ventricular ejection time but these did not reach statistical significance. The mean left atrial dimension was highest in the subjects with eccentric hypertrophy. CONCLUSION: In this study population of treated Nigerian hypertensives, concentric remodelling and hypertrophy were the predominant left ventricular geometrical patterns.