Ale O.K., Ajuluchukwu J.N., Ok D.A., Mbakwem A.C.
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Ale, O.K., Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Ajuluchukwu, J.N., Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Ok, D.A., Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Mbakwem, A.C., Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Background: Prehypertension has been associated with target-organ damage. This study sought to determine the impact of prehypertension (PHT) on QT dispersion and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in adult black Nigerians. Methods: One hundred and one subjects with office blood pressure (BP) < 140/90 mmHg were categorised according to their office BP into normotensive (normal BP < 120/80 mmHg, n = 57) and prehypertensive (prehypertensive BP 120-139/80-89 mmHg, n = 44) groups. Echocardiography and electrocardiography (ECG) were performed on the subjects. Results: Thirty-four males aged 53.65 ± 16.33 years and 67 females aged 52.42 ± 12.00 years were studied. The mean QT interval dispersion (QTd) of the normotensive (38.96 ± 11.06 ms) and prehypertensive (38.41 ± 11.81 ms) groups were similar (p = 0.81). Prehypertensive subjects had higher left ventricular mass (LVM) (165.75 ± 33.21 vs 144.54 ± 35.55 g, p = 0.024), left ventricular mass index 1 (LVMI-1) (91.65 ± 16.84 vs 80.45 ± 18.65 g/m2, p = 0.021) and left ventricular mass index 2 (LVMI-2) (54.96 ± 10.84 vs 47.51 ± 12.00 g/m2.7, p = 0.017). QT d was independent of echocardiographic and electrocardiographic LVH (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with normotension, prehypertension is associated with higher LVM but similar QTd. This suggests that structural remodelling precedes electrical remodelling in prehypertension.
adult; aged; article; controlled study; echocardiography; electrocardiography; female; heart left ventricle hypertrophy; heart left ventricle mass; human; major clinical study; male; middle aged; Nigeria; prehypertension; QT dispersion; very elderly; blood pressure; blood pressure measurement; complication; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular; pathophysiology; physiology; prehypertension; procedures; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Blood Pressure; Blood Pressure Determination; Echocardiography; Electrocardiography; Female; Humans; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular; Male; Middle Aged; Nigeria; Prehypertension