Relationship between microalbuminuria, left ventricular mass and function in essential hypertension

To investigate the relationship of microalbuminuria, left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertension, 150 hypertensive patients were studied. All patients received a series of blood pressure (BP) measurements, overnight urine collection for microalbuminuria determination, chest radiography (CXR), electrocardiography (EKG) and echocardiographic assessment. Echocardiographic variables including left ventricular mass index (LVMI), fractional shortening (FS) and Doppler mitral flow E/A ratio were analyzed. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to diastolic blood pressure. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was identified by EKG in 28 patients (18.7%), by CXR in 56 patients (37.3%) and by echocardiography in 126 patients (89.3%). Microalbuminuria was detected in 42 patients (28%). Microalbuminuria tended to present in patients with higher systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure. There was no relation between FS and E/A ratio and the degree of blood pressure elevation. However, there was a strong correlation between microalbuminuria and LVMI (p < 0.001), this correlation was not related to any difference in blood biochemistry. The results of this study indicate that the severity of microalbuminuria relates closely to the severity of hypertension. In addition, hypertensive patients with microalbuminuria tend to have higher LVMI.