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P Verdecchia

Publications and source records attributed to P Verdecchia.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Circulating insulin and insulin growth factor-1 are independent determinants of left ventricular mass and geometry in essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are independent determinants of left ventricular (LV) mass in essential hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 101 never-treated nondiabetic subjects with essential hypertension. All had 24-hour noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring and a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. We determined fasting glucose, insulin, and IGF-1 and postload glucose and insulin 2 hours after glucose. Insulin resistance was estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA(IR)) formula. LV mass showed an association with body mass index (BMI) (r=0.47; P<0.01), postload insulin (r=0.54; P<0.01), HOMA(IR) (r=0.39; P<0.01), and IGF-1 (r=0. 43; P<0.01) and a weaker association with average 24-hour systolic and diastolic ABPs (r=0.29 and r=0.26; P<0.05) and basal insulin (r=0.31; P<0.05). Relative wall thickness was positively related to IGF-1 (r=0.39; P<0.01) but not to fasting or 2-hour postload insulin, HOMA(IR), and glucose. In a multiple regression analysis, the final LV mass model (R(2)=0.64) included IGF-1, postload insulin, average 24-hour systolic ABP, sex, and BMI. IGF-1 and postload insulin accounted for >40% of variability of LV mass. The final model (R(2)=0.36) for relative wall thickness included IGF-1 (16% total explained variability), average 24-hour systolic ABP, sex, BMI, and age but not insulin and HOMA(IR). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that insulin and IGF-1 are powerful independent determinants of LV mass and geometry in untreated subjects with essential hypertension and normal glucose tolerance.

Adult↗

Prognostic value of 24-hour blood pressure in pregnancy.

CONTEXT: Elevated blood pressure (BP) measured at the physician's office may reflect true hypertension or white coat hypertension (WCH). The prognostic value of WCH among pregnant women is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic value of WCH in pregnancy. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study conducted between September 1994 and October 1997. SETTING: Community hospital. PATIENTS: Women without preexisting hypertension and not treated with antihypertensive drugs aid with high (n = 148) or normal (n = 106) office BP (high office BP was defined as > or =140 mm Hg systolic and/or > or =90 mm Hg diastolic) matched for gestational age during their third trimester of pregnancy. All women underwent 24-hour noninvasive BP monitoring, and women without hypertension on 24-hour monitoring (125/74 mm Hg or less for average 24-hour BP) with office hypertension were classified as having WCH. Women were followed up through the end of pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Duration of pregnancy, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia or eclampsia, cesarean delivery, placental and neonatal weight, and length of maternal and neonatal hospital stays for those with and without elevated office BP. RESULTS: After application of exclusion criteria, data for 7 women were removed from the analysis. For the remaining subjects, in the group with elevated BP, prevalence of WCH was 29.2% (42/144). Duration of pregnancy was similar in the normotensive and WCH groups (39.6 vs 39.8 weeks; P = .50), but shorter (38.3 weeks; P<.001) in the true hypertension group. Incidence of preeclampsia was similar in the normotensive and WCH groups (5.8% vs 7.1 %; P = .86) but higher in the true hypertension group (61.7%; P<.001). Frequency of cesarean delivery was lower in the normotensive (12.4%) than in the WCH (45.2%; P = .008) and true hypertension (41.1 %; P = .009) groups. Neonatal weight was lower (P<.001) in the true hypertension (mean, 2911 g) than in the normotensive (3336 g) and WCH groups (3435 g), which did not differ (P = .68). The duration of neonatal hospital stay did not differ between the normotensive and the WCH group (5.3 vs 6.9 days; P = .13) but was longer in the true hypertension group (12.3 days; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: In women with elevated BP during their third trimester of pregnancy, 24-hour BP was superior to office BP (distinguishing true hypertension from WCH) for prediction of the outcome of pregnancy. Outcomes in the normotensive and WCH group were comparable, but the increased incidence of cesarean delivery in the WCH group may reflect decision-making processes influenced by office BP.

Adult↗

Reliability and limitations of echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular mass for risk stratification and follow-up in single patients: the RES trial. Working Group on Heart and Hypertension of the Italian Society of Hypertension. Reliability of M-mode Echocardiographic Studies.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical reliability of repeated measurements of left ventricular mass in a single patient. DESIGN: We used test-retest reliability analysis, within-class correlation and interval of agreement measures. METHODS: Two M-mode tracings (three consecutive cycles) were recorded in the same session and 3-10 days apart (5+/-2 days; mean +/- SD) in 261 participants (age 45+/-13 years, body mass index 24.7+/-3.6 kg/m2; 131 hypertensive and 130 normotensive; 50% of each group women) in 16 centres in Italy. The two tracings were read by two observers in each centre, after classification by a three-order quality score (1 = poor, 2 = sufficient, 3 = optimal). RESULTS: The average quality score was 2.11+/-0.71 (21% poor, 50% sufficient, 29% optimal). Left ventricular mass values ranged from 56 to 419 g (170+/-61 g). On the same day, within-observer 90% interval of agreement between tracing 1 and tracing 2 was -28 to +22 g (-17 to +11% of tracing 1). For day-to-day test-retest within-observer variability (average three cycles), the 90% interval of agreement was -30 to +35 g (-18 to +18%). This variability decreased to -13 to +12% at the 80% interval of agreement and -12 to +11% at the 75% interval of agreement. The 90% interval of agreement of test- retest between-observer variability was -26 to 30 g (-19 to +15%). A negligible regression toward the mean was identified. Categorical consistency of retest in the identification of hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy, classified in the first study, was 87% (k = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of left ventricular mass in single patients allows reliable risk stratification on the basis of the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy. The probability of a true change in left ventricular mass over time is maximized for a single-reader difference greater than 18% of the initial value, although differences of 10-13% might also have clinical relevance.

Adolescent↗

Blood Pressure Monitoring. Task force III: Target-organ damage, morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE: To reach a consensus on ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) as a predictor of target-organ damage (TOD), morbidity and mortality. METHOD: The members of task force III wrote this article in preparation for the Seventh International Consensus Conference (23-25 September 1999). This article was amended after the meeting to reflect the consensus reached at the conference. POINTS OF CONSENSUS: In most studies, TOD in essential hypertension was more closely associated with ABP than it was with clinic blood pressure, the mean weighted correlation coefficients for the relationship of left ventricular mass with blood pressure being 0.50/0.44 (24h systolic/diastolic blood pressure) and 0.35/0.32 (clinic systolic/diastolic blood pressure), respectively. The above correlation coefficients vary among studies, possibly because of different standardizations of clinic blood pressure measurements and ways of selecting subjects, among other reasons. The closeness of the association between clinic blood pressure and left ventricular mass increases with the numbers of clinic measurements of blood pressure and visits to a clinic. Thus, the variance of left ventricular mass explained by ABP in addition to that explained by clinic blood pressure diminishes with the number of clinic blood pressure readings. The proportion of variability of left ventricular mass that is directly accounted for by the day-night difference in blood pressure is 15% at the most. Thus, the advantage of ABP over clinic blood pressure appears to be, at least in part, a result of the greater number of measurements over the 24h. It might also depend, however, on the information offered by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) on daily-life variations in blood pressure. TOD appears to be more closely associated with ABP than it is with clinic blood pressure for the subjects with reproducible ABP tracings, but not for those with poorly reproducible tracings. The probability of developing sustained clinic hypertension at follow-up seems to be better predicted by clinic blood pressure on several occasions over a 6-month period than it is by ABP at baseline, although, when also ABPM is repeatedly performed at follow-up, its ability to predict clinical outcomes of hypertensive patients remains superior to that of repeated clinic blood pressure measurements. ABPM of the elderly appears feasible and is tolerated well. A blunted day-night fall in blood pressure ('non-dipping') seems to be harmful, while evidence regarding the potentially harmful effect of extreme dipping is still limited. Authors of the Syst-Eur study recently demonstrated the prognostic value of ambulatory systolic blood pressure and in particular, of night-time blood pressure, in assessing old subjects with isolated systolic hypertension. The assessment of variability of blood pressure has been shown to provide a further prediction of cardiovascular risk and the potentially prognostic value of beat-to-beat variability assessed non-invasively (using a Finapres or Portapres device)needs further study. In the published event-based studies, the prognostic value of ABP recorded during a single session was superior to that of clinic blood pressure. Since the authors of published event-based prognostic studies compared ABP with only a few clinic measurements of blood pressure, it is not known how many visits or measurements of blood pressure (and at what cost) would equate to a single session of ABPM in terms of prediction of cardiovascular events. ABPM might allow one to identify a subset with 'normal' ABP (white-coat or isolated clinic hypertension). Daytime ABP levels <135 mmHg systolic and 85 mmHg diastolic can be defined as normal and values <130/80 mmHg could be defined as optimal. Cardiovascular risk for subjects with normal ABP seems to be lower than that for those with abnormally high ABP. Long-term observational and intervention studies concerning subjects with white-coat hypertension are needed. (ABST

Activities of Daily Living↗

Blood Pressure Monitoring. Task force V: White-coat hypertension.

TERMINOLOGY: Two terms are in current use to describe patients whose blood pressures are high only in a medical setting (white-coat hypertension and isolated office or clinic hypertension). The term white-coat effect is also commonly used to describe the pressor response to the clinic setting. DEFINITIONS: White-coat hypertension is generally defined as a persistently elevated clinic blood pressure in combination with a normal ambulatory blood pressure (ABP). There is disagreement regarding the optimal cutoff point for ABP. The white-coat effect is operationally defined as the difference between the clinic blood pressure and daytime ABP. PREVALENCE OF WHITE-COAT HYPERTENSION: This varies according to the definition of white-coat hypertension and the population studied, but is approximately 20% among mild hypertensives, and increases with age. METABOLIC AND BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS: Authors of some studies have suggested that white-coat hypertension is associated with metabolic abnormalities such as hyperlipidemia that lead to an increase in cardiovascular risk, but most have not found this. TARGET-ORGAN DAMAGE: Several measures of target-organ damage have been compared among normotensives, white-coat hypertensives, and sustained hypertensives; these include left ventricular mass, microalbuminuria, and carotid atherosclerosis. In general, target-organ damage in white-coat hypertension is less than that in sustained hypertension, but in some studies it has been found to be more prevalent than in normotensives. MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY: Authors of a relatively small number of prospective studies have concluded that white-coat hypertensives have a lower risk of morbidity than do sustained hypertensives, but a larger number have drawn the more general conclusion that, when there is a discrepancy between the clinic blood pressure and ABP, the prognosis is more closely related to the ABP. MANAGEMENT: When white-coat hypertensives are prescribed antihypertensive medication there is usually a decrease in clinic blood pressure, but little or no change in ABP. Thus drug treatment is not necessarily indicated. Another issue is the follow-up of white-coat hypertensives; there is general agreement that blood pressure outside the office should be monitored indefinitely. Some patient may have been wrongly classified as white-coat hypertensives, and others may progress to develop sustained hypertension.

Antihypertensive Agents↗

Calcium antagonists and cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension and Type 2 diabetes mellitus: evidence from the PIUMA Study. Progetto Ipertensione Umbria Monitoraggio Ambulatoriale.

We conducted a retrospective analysis of all subjects with essential hypertension and Type 2 diabetes mellitus enrolled in the PIUMA (Progetto Ipertensione Umbria Monitoraggio Ambulatoriale) registry, in order to evaluate whether the use of calcium antagonists is associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk in these subjects. One hundred and sixty-four consecutive subjects with no previous cardiovascular morbid events and coexistence of essential hypertension and Type 2 diabetes mellitus were studied before therapy and followed for up to 12 years (mean 5). There were periodical contacts with family doctors and patients in order to ascertain the occurrence of major cardiovascular events. The use of calcium antagonists that preceded the event was considered for classification. None of the patients was lost to follow-up. At entry, the patients who were subsequently given calcium antagonists (n=50) had a higher clinical (174/98 vs 161/92 mmHg, both p<0.01) and 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure (150/90 vs 141/84 mmHg, both p<0.01) than those who were not. During follow-up there were 53 major cardiovascular morbid events (6.46 per 100 person-years). The rate of total cardiovascular events [5.6 vs 6.8 events per 100 person-years, relative risk 0.88 (95% CI: 0.47-1.61)] and that of cardiac events [4.0 vs 3.3 events per 100 person-years, relative risk 1.33 (95% CI: 0.62-2.89)] did not differ between users of calcium antagonists and non-users. The use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (n=66) was unrelated to the risk of cardiovascular events (relative risk 1.24, 95% CI: 0.71-2.16). In a Cox multivariate analysis, only age (p=0.002) and 24-hr pulse pressure (p=0.04) were independent predictors of cardiovascular events. In conclusion, this cohort study does not support the hypothesis that use of calcium antagonists is associated with an excess risk of adverse cardiovascular events in uncomplicated subjects with essential hypertension and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aged↗

Influence of cigarette smoking on the electrocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in arterial hypertension.

Electrocardiography (ECG) has a lower sensitivity for the diagnosis of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy in smokers than in non-smokers, but the explanation for this finding is not known. In the setting of the Progetto Ipertensione Umbria Monitoraggio Ambulatoriale (PIUMA) study, all subjects smoking > or = 15 cigarettes/day (n = 121, 89 men, age 48 +/- 11 years) were selected from 1443 untreated hypertensive subjects undergoing ECG and M-mode echocardiography, and matched with 484 hypertensive non-smokers by gender (same sex), age (+/- 5 years), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (both +/- 5 mmHg) in a case-to-control design with a 1:4 matching ratio. Smokers and non-smokers did not differ by age, gender, body mass index, and blood pressure. The voltage of SV1 + RV5 or V6 and RI (p < 0.05), but not of SV3 + RaVL, was lower in smokers. Sensitivity of ECG was lower in smokers when using peripheral or left precordial voltage criteria (e.g. 11 vs 26% for Sokolow-Lyon voltage). When using definitions based on different criteria (voltage of S wave in V3, LV axis, LV strain), sensitivity was not dissimilar in smokers and non-smokers (e.g. 19 vs 18% for Romhilt-Estes score, 40 vs 34% for Perugia criterion). Thus, in hypertensive smokers, sensitivity of ECG is lower than in non-smokers when using peripheral or left precordial voltage criteria, probably due to increased chest size in smokers resulting from increased lung compliance. For LV hypertrophy detection, Sokolow-Lyon voltage should be avoided in hypertensive smokers and replaced by other criteria (Cornell voltage, Romhilt-Estes score, Perugia criterion), which are not influenced by cigarette smoking.

Adult↗

Prognostic value of a new electrocardiographic method for diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: We tested the prognostic value of a new electrocardiographic (ECG) method (Perugia score) for diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in essential hypertension and compared it with five standard methods (Cornell voltage, Framingham criterion, Romhilt-Estes point score, left ventricular strain, Sokolow-Lyon voltage). BACKGROUND: Several standard ECG methods for assessment of LVH are used in the clinical setting, but a comparative prognostic assessment is lacking. METHODS: A total of 1,717 white hypertensive subjects (mean age 52 years; 51% men) were prospectively followed up for up to 10 years (mean 3.3). RESULTS: At entry, the prevalence of LVH was 17.8% (Perugia score), 9.1% (Cornell), 3.9% (Framingham), 5.2% (Romhilt-Estes), 6.4% (strain) and 13.1% (Sokolow-Lyon). During follow-up there were 159 major cardiovascular morbid events (33 fatal). The event rate was higher in the subjects with than in those without LVH (all p < 0.001) according to all methods except the Sokolow-Lyon method. By multivariate analysis, an independent association between LVH and cardiovascular disease risk was maintained by the Perugia score (hazard ratio [HR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5 to 2.8) and the Framingham (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.2), Romhilt-Estes (HR 2.63, 95% CI 1.7 to 4.1) and strain methods (HR 2.11, 95% CI 1.4 to 3.2). The Perugia score showed the highest population-attributable risk for cardiovascular events, accounting for 15.6% of all cases, whereas the Framingham, Romhilt-Estes and strain methods accounted for 3.0%, 7.4% and 6.8% of all events, respectively. LVH diagnosed by the Perugia score was also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR 4.21, 95% CI 2.1 to 8.7), with a population-attributable risk of 37.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The Perugia score carried the highest population-attributable risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality compared with classic methods for detection of LVH. Traditional interpretation of standard electrocardiography maintains an important role for cardiovascular risk stratification in essential hypertension.

Age Factors↗

Lack of association between blood pressure variability and left ventricular mass in essential hypertension.

Blood pressure (BP) variability could induce detrimental effects on left ventricular (LV) structure in hypertension. We investigated the association between short-term BP variability, assessed with 24-h noninvasive ambulatory BP monitoring, and LV mass at echocardiography in 1822 untreated subjects (953 men, 869 women) with essential hypertension (EH). The standard deviation (SD) of daytime and night-time systolic BP (SBP, r = 0.13/0.10; both P < .001), but not of diastolic BP, showed a weak correlation with LV mass. Because the SD of daytime SBP showed a direct association with average 24-h SBP (r = 0.27), subjects were ranked into quartiles of the distribution of 24-h SBP. For each quartile, the subjects with SD of daytime (and night-time) SBP below or above the median were classified at low or high BP variability. In both genders, subjects with high daytime SBP variability were older than those at low variability (both P < .01). Within each quartile, LV mass did not differ between the groups at low v those at high SBP variability. Overall, age-adjusted LV mass index was 115 and 115 g/m2 in men at low and high daytime SBP variability (P = .84), and 116 and 114 g/m2 in men at low and high nighttime SBP variability (P = .31). The corresponding values in women were 98 and 99 g/m2 (P = .53) and 98 and 99 g/m2 (P = .64). In conclusion, when the effects of age, gender, and average 24-h BP are taken into account, short-term BP variability assessed with noninvasive monitoring is unrelated to LV mass in subjects with EH.

Aging↗

Clinical impact of various geometric models for calculation of echocardiographic left ventricular mass.

BACKGROUND: M-mode echocardiographic left ventricular mass calculated using a thick-wall prolate ellipsoidal model is widely used in clinical and epidemiologic studies. Doubts regarding the ability of this approach to obtain a precise estimate of left ventricular weight across a wide range of values have recently been raised and an alternate thin-wall ellipsoidal model has been proposed to gain greater precision. OBJECTIVE: To compare thin-wall and thick-wall (American Society of Echocardiography and Penn convention) models for calculation of left ventricular mass. DESIGN: Validation, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies. PARTICIPANTS: Necropsy data and living cohorts from Naples, New York City, and Umbria region of Italy (PIUMA registry). RESULTS: The average thin-wall left ventricular mass was slightly greater than the necropsy left ventricular weight (mean 225 versus 220 g), whereas no difference was detected using regression-adjusted thick-wall methods. Use of the thin-walled model slightly overestimated left ventricular mass relative to both thick-wall models at the lowest left ventricular mass while slightly underestimating the highest values. Comparison of Cox proportional hazard models in two longitudinal studies demonstrated that there was a substantial equivalence among methods, with a marginally better performance of thick-wall models for cardiovascular risk stratification (P < 0.05 in one study). CONCLUSIONS: Although it is imperfect, because it is based on simplifying geometric assumptions, computation of left ventricular mass on the basis of M-mode echocardiographic left ventricular dimensions using thick-wall prolate-ellipsoidal models is valuable for identification of left ventricular hypertrophy and for cardiovascular risk stratification of patients with essential hypertension. Calculation of left ventricular mass by use of a thin-wall prolate-ellipsoidal geometry does not yield appreciably different results than those which are obtained by use of thick-wall models.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗

Adverse prognostic value of a blunted circadian rhythm of heart rate in essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies revealed a direct association between resting heart rate and risk of mortality in essential hypertension. However, resting heart rate is a highly variable measure since it is affected by the alerting reaction to the visit. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the heart rate values recorded during the 24 h of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring are independent predictors of survival of uncomplicated subjects with essential hypertension. METHODS: We followed up 1942 initially untreated and uncomplicated subjects with essential hypertension (mean age 51.7 years, 52% men) for an average of 3.6 years (range 0-10 years). All subjects underwent baseline procedures including 24 h non-invasive blood pressure monitoring with simultaneous assessment of heart rate, one reading every 15 min for 24 h. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause mortality and cardiovascular morbidity. RESULTS: During follow-up there were 74 deaths from all causes (1.06 per 100 person-years) and 182 total (fatal plus non-fatal) cardiovascular morbid events (2.66 per 100 person-years). Clinic, average 24 h, daytime and night-time heart rates exhibited no association with total mortality. However, the subjects who subsequently died had had a blunted reduction of heart rate on going from day to night during the baseline examination. After adjustment for age (P < 0.001), diabetes (P < 0.001) and average 24 h systolic blood pressure (SBP, P= 0.002) in a Cox model, for each 10% less reduction in the heart rate from day to night the relative risk of mortality was 1.30 (95% confidence interval 1.02-1.65, P = 0.04). Rates of death were 0.38, 0.71, 0.94 and 2.0 per 100 person-years among subjects in the four quartiles of the distribution of the percentage reduction in heart rate from day to night The baseline day-night changes in the heart rate exhibited an inverse correlation to age and to clinic and ambulatory SBP and a direct association with the day-night changes in blood pressure. The degree of reduction of heart rate from day to night also had an independent inverse association with total cardiovascular morbidity after adjustment for age, diabetes and left ventricular hypertrophy, but this association did not remain significant when average 24 h SBP and the degree of day-night reduction in SBP were entered into the equation. CONCLUSIONS: A flattened diurnal rhythm of heart rate in uncomplicated subjects with essential hypertension is a marker of risk for subsequent all-cause mortality and this association persists after adjustment for several risk factors. For assessing these subjects, a limited and uniformly distributed period of ambulatory heart rate recording during the 24 h is clinically valuable.

Adult↗

Early cardiac changes after menopause.

The mechanisms underlying the increased cardiovascular risk after menopause are incompletely known. To investigate whether menopause may induce left ventricular structural and functional adaptations in normotensive and hypertensive women, we compared in a case-control setting (1) 76 untreated hypertensive premenopausal women with 76 postmenopausal women and (2) 30 normotensive premenopausal women with 30 postmenopausal women. Subjects were individually matched by age (+/-5 years; range, 45 to 55), clinic systolic blood pressure (+/-5 mm Hg), and body mass index (+/-2 kgxm-2). All subjects underwent 24-hour blood pressure monitoring and M-mode echocardiography. Age, clinic and daytime blood pressure, body mass index, and smoking habits did not differ between the paired groups. After menopause, blood pressure fall from day to night was lower in both normotensives (10/15% versus 16/21%) and hypertensives (12/17% versus 16/21%) (all P<0.01). Menopause was also associated with a greater left ventricular relative wall thickness (38.8% versus 35.1% in normotensives, 40.2% versus 37.5% in hypertensives) and a reduced midwall fractional shortening (17.3% versus 18.6% in normotensives, 16.6% versus 17.9% in hypertensives) (all P<0.05). We conclude that menopause is associated with blunted day-night blood pressure reduction, impaired left ventricular systolic performance, and concentric left ventricular geometric pattern. These finding are independent of presence or absence of high blood pressure.

Blood Pressure↗