[Correlation between plasma aldosterone concentration and left ventricular structure in hypertensive patients].

Objective: To observe the correlation between plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and left ventricular structure in hypertensive patients.

Methods: A total of 201 hypertensive patients [117 male, aged from seventeen to sixty eight years old, mean (43.6 ± 10.2) years] were included. All subjects underwent echocardiography examination for measurement of left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), LV posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), interventricular septum thickness (IVST) and LV mass index (LVMI). Plasma PAC was also measured at three postural positions. According to the sitting PAC, subjects were divided into high aldosterone group (PAC ≥ 120 ng/L, n = 83) and normal aldosterone (PAC < 120 ng/L, n = 118) group. Bivariate correlation and multiple stepwise regression analysis were performed to analyze the correlation between left ventricular structure parameters and PAC.

Results: IVST, LVPWT values were significantly higher in the increased PAC group than that in normal PAC group [ (10.4 ± 1.0) mm vs. (10.9 ± 1.8) mm, (10.1 ± 0.7) mm vs.(10.4 ± 1.5) mm, all P < 0.05]. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that PAC was weakly correlated with IVST (r = 0.190, P < 0.05) , while was not correlated to LVMI, LVPWT and LVEDD (all P > 0.05). Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that PAC was positively correlated with IVST and LVPWT (β = 0.206 and β = 0.241, respectively, all P < 0.05), but was not correlated to LVMI and LVEDD (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion: PAC is positively correlated with IVST and LVPWT in hypertensive patients.