Left ventricular mass formulae and prevalence rates of echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy in Nigerians with essential hypertension

Abstract

Background:Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) as a marker of cardiac damage in hypertension has important prognostic implications. With high prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria and the untoward effect of LVH, it is essential that the prevalence of LVH be determined.Aims:To determine prevalence of LVH and its severity in clinical practice among hypertensive patients referred for echocardiographic assessment in Nigeria.Materials and Methods:Devereux and Troy formulae were used to calculate echocardiographic LV mass (LVM) in 401 subjects and thereafter normalized to body surface area (BSA), heigth2 (ht2) and height2.7 (ht2.7) to define LVH to standard gender-specific thresholds.Results:Mean age was 53.22 ± 16.56 years (male = 53.18 ± 15.80; female = 53.27 ± 17.43; P = 0.958) with a male:female ratio of 1.13:1. Prevalence rates of LVH ranged between 38.9–51.3% using the Devereux Formula and 62.4–71.1% using the Troy formula. LVM/(ht2.7) using the Troy formula gave the highest prevalence rate of LVH. Majority of the patients with LVH had severe form of hypertrophy with the prevalence rates ranging from 22.3% (LVM/BSA; Devereux formula) to 47.1% (LVM/ht2.7; Troy formula).Conclusion:Prevalence of LVH by any echocardiographic criteria is high. There is a need to come to a consensus on the best formula and indexing variables, that will unify the reporting of LVH.

Left Ventricular Structure, Geometry and Systolic Function among Hypertensive Black Patients with Reduced Kidney Function

“…The frequency of LVH in our study is quite similar to the 95.5% reported by Ulasi et al [26] among 98 Nigerian hypertensive patients with RKF stage 4 and 5. It is however somewhat higher than the 74.2% [27], 62.7% [20], 38.9% [28], 51.3% [29] and 34% [30] that were observed in other studies of Nigerian patients. Niakara et al [31] in Burkina Faso reported a frequency of 53.3% clearly lower than ours.…”

“…Nardi et al [24] found that values of LVM progressively increased from CKD stage 2 to 5. An inverse association between LVM and GFR was also reported by Redon et al [25] In Sub-Saharan Africa [20] [26]- [28], the prevalence of LVH in hypertensive patients with RKF has generally been reported to be elevated. The frequency of LVH in our study is quite similar to the 95.5% reported by Ulasi et al [26] among 98 Nigerian hypertensive patients with RKF stage 4 and 5.…”

Left ventricular hypertrophy among black hypertensive patients: focusing on the efficacy of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors

“…A study in Pakistan, for instance, revealed that women were 11.35 times more likely to develop LVH than the male counterparts even after adjusting for other factors [ 37 ]. Similarly, studies in Nigeria [ 38 ], China [ 12 ] and the LIFE (losartan intervention for endpoint reduction in hypertension) study [ 39 ] showed a trend towards a higher prevalence in women. However, some studies from European countries have shown a higher prevalence in men [ 35 , 36 ].…”