Correlation between ambulatory pulse pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension

Objective To describe the relationship between ambulatory pulse pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) and aortic root dimension(AOD). Methods Two hundred and forty patients with essential hypertension were monitored 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and applied echocardiography.The patients were divided into two groups according to their left ventricular mass index(LVMI),LVH group(LVMI120 g/m~2 in man,and 110 g/m~2 in woman) were 94 subjects and non-LVH group 146 subjects.Results The average levels of 24-hour pulse pressure,day time pulse pressure,night time pulse pressure and AOD were significantly different between patients with LVH and without LVH(P0.05).Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the changes in night time pulse pressure and AOD were closely related to LVMI (P(0.001)).Conclusion The pulse pressure and especially AOD are important to LVH in patients with essential hypertension.