Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy and microalbuminuria changes during antihypertensive treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to assess the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) during antihypertensive treatment, and its relationship with the changes in microalbuminuria. INDIVIDUALS AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty-eight previously untreated patients with echocardiographic LVH, 46 (27%) with microalbuminuria, were followed during a median period of 13 months (range 6-23 months) and treated with lifestyle changes and antihypertensive drugs. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, echocardiography and urinary albumin excretion were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the study period. RESULTS: Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was reduced from 137 [interquartile interval (IQI), 129-154] to 121 (IQI, 104-137) g/m (P  50%) had the same odds of achieving regression of LVH as patients with normoalbuminuria (ORm 1.1; 95% CI 0.38-3.25; P = 0.85). However, those with microalbuminuria at baseline, who did not regress, had less probability of achieving LVH regression than the normoalbuminuric patients (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.07-0.90; P = 0.03) even when adjusted for age, sex, initial LVMI, GFR, blood pressure and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) treatment during the follow-up. CONCLUSION: Patients who do not have a significant reduction in microalbuminuria have less chance of achieving LVH regression, independent of blood pressure reduction.