INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF AGE AND 24-HOUR BLOOD PRESSURE VARIABILITY ON LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY; DATA FROM THE KOREAN AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE (KORABP) REGISTRY

Abstract

Objective: Increased short-term blood pressure variability (BPV) is known to be related to target organ damage, independent of the blood pressure (BP) level. However, the effect of age on the relationship between BPV and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has not been evaluated. We aimed to investigate the interactive effect of age and BPV on LVH.

Design and Method: Among the 3,762 participants of the Korean ambulatory BP (KOR-ABP) registry, we assessed the data of 1,606 (42.7%) participants with available echocardiography records. The average real variability (ARV) of systolic and diastolic BP was analyzed as an index for 24-hour BPV. We used left ventricular mass index (LVMI, LV mass divided by body surface area) as an index for LVH (LVH > 95 g/m² in women and > 115 g/m² in men).

Results: The mean participant age was 57.2 (± 14.2) years, 857 (53.4%) participants were men, and 953 (59.3%) participants had hypertension (BP >140/90 mmHg or taking antihypertensive medications). The LVH group was older, and the 24-hour average BP and BPV index were significantly higher. Furthermore, LVMI was significantly associated with age, as well as the BPV index. There was a significant interaction between age and BPV on the presence of LVH; thus, the older participants with increased BPV showed a higher risk of LVH.

Conclusions: In the KOR-ABP registry, age was associated with short-term BPV. Furthermore, a significant interactive effect is present between age and BPV on LVH.