Relationship of age, left ventricular hypertrophy and 24-hour mean pulse pressure in patients with essential hypertension

The study is to investigate the relationship between age, left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) and 24-hour mean pulse pressure(PP) in patients with essential hypertension. 433 initially untreated subjects with mild to moderate essential hypertension were involved in this study. All subjects underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and echocardiography. They were divided into four groups according to their 24-hour mean PP scale, and were divided into LVH and non-LVH group according to their left ventricular mass index (LVMI) level. Patients were further divided into three age groups, group I: 40≤age<50; group II: 50≤age<60; group III: age≥60, respectively. 24-hour mean PP were significantly correlated with age (r=0.466, P<0.01), arterial stiffness index (r=0.681, P<0.01), LVMI (r=0.279, P<0.01), and 24-hour heart rate (r=−0.142, P<0.01). Hypertensive subjects showed a progressive increase in 24-hour mean PP earlier, and the rate of rise accelerated after age 60 years. Both 24-hour mean PP and 24-hour systolic blood pressure were significantly higher in LVH group than non-LVH group (49.4±10.1 mmHg vs. 44.1±9.0 mmHg, P<0.001 and 133.0±12.9 mmHg vs. 126.2±12.8 mmHg, P<0.001). PP rose progressively with aging, and after 60 years, the rate accelerated steeply. In middle-aged and senile subjects, the increase in PP was primarily due to large-artery elasticity deterioration. And it was the important determinant of LVH. Am J Hypertens (2004) 17, 50A–50A; doi: 10.1016/j.amjhyper.2004.03.124