Left ventricular geometry in children and adolescents with primary hypertension.

Background: Children with hypertension (HTN) are at increased risk for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Increased left ventricular (LV) mass (LVM) by the process of remodeling in response to volume or pressure loading may be eccentric (increased LV diameter) or concentric (increased wall thickness). Our objective was to classify LV geometry among children with primary HTN and examine differences in ambulatory blood pressure (ABP).

Methods: Subjects aged 7-18 years with suspected HTN were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. ABP and LVM index (LVMI) were measured within the same 24-h period. LV geometry was classified as normal, concentric remodeling, concentric LVH, or eccentric LVH.

Results: Children with LVH had significantly higher ambulatory systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (BP) (DBP) levels and body mass index (BMI) Z-score. Sixty-eight children had HTN based upon ABP monitoring (ABPM). Thirty-eight percent of the hypertensive subjects had LVH, with equal distribution in the concentric and eccentric groups. There were significant differences in the 24-h DBP parameters when the eccentric LVH group was compared to the normal geometry and concentric LVH groups. Relative wall thickness (RWT) was inversely associated with night time DBP parameters. These relationships persisted after controlling for BMI Z-score.

Conclusions: Although the risk for LVH is associated with increased SBP and BMI Z-score, those with eccentric LVH had significantly higher DBP.