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Aortic root dilatation in essential hypertension: prevalence according to new reference values
Alberto Milan1, Eleonora Avenatti, Francesco Tosello
1Hypertension Unit, Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University Hospital S. Giovanni Battista, University of Torino, Torino, Italy. alberto.milan@unito.it
Journal of Hypertension
|March 8, 2013
Summary
Aortic root dilatation (ARD) is more prevalent in hypertensive patients than previously thought. Careful selection of diagnostic criteria, like using height-based predictions for obese patients, is crucial to avoid underdiagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Radiology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Aortic root dilatation (ARD) and arterial hypertension are key risk factors for aortic dissection.
- Increasing prevalence of ARD necessitates updated diagnostic standards.
- New reference ranges for aortic dimensions adjust for age, gender, height (pHeight), and body surface area (pBSA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prevalence of ARD in hypertensive patients.
- To compare ARD prevalence using multiple diagnostic criteria.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed 1076 hypertensive patients (untreated and treated).
- Measured proximal aortic diameters via echocardiography.
- Defined ARD using three criteria: predicted by pBSA, predicted by pHeight, and aortic size index (ASi > 2.1 cm/m²).
Main Results:
- 22% of patients (237/1076) met at least one ARD criterion.
- ARD prevalence varied from 12.8% (pBSA) to 16.9% (pHeight) when using individual criteria.
Conclusions:
- The study found a higher ARD prevalence than previously reported.
- Accurate selection of diagnostic criteria is essential for ARD diagnosis.
- The pHeight criterion may prevent underdiagnosis of ARD in obese patients.
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