Left ventricular mass index as a predictor of new-onset microalbuminuria in hypertensive subjects: A prospective study

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the predictive role of left ventricular mass and its reduction on the development of new-onset microalbuminuria (MA) in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.MethodsA total of 207 nondiabetic, normoalbuminuric patients without clinical organ damage (aged 50.8 ± 10.1 years, 132 male, 84 smokers) with baseline office blood pressure (BP) 148/96 mm Hg were followed for a mean period of 3.3 ± 1.3 years. At baseline and last follow-up visit, all patients underwent office and 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring, albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) determination, and echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular mass index (LVMI). All patients were treated with antihypertensive therapy during the follow-up period. We defined MA as ACR between 20 and 300 mg/g for men and 30300 mg/g for women, effective BP control as office BP 140/90 mm Hg in ≥75% of total number of visits, and LVMI reduction as the decline of LVMI at end-follow-up of 15% with respect to the baseline value.ResultsBetween baseline and last follow-up visit, LVMI decreased by 6.84 ± 21.5 g/m2 (P