Comparison of the echocardiographic and pulmonary function test findings in orderly treated and untreated essential hypertensive patients

[Association between hypertension and pulmonary function in rural adults in Korea]

OBJECTIVES

Whilst hypertension exerts a negative effect on several organs there have been few studies regarding its effect on pulmonary function. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between hypertension and pulmonary function in rural Korean adults.

METHODS

In 2006, 2534 people were recruited, aged 40 to 70, in Kangwha County. We selected 1454 (male: 624, female: 830) participants whose pulmonary function results were repeatable. Blood pressure (BP) was measured twice and the average calculated. Participants were divided into two groups (hypertensive group and non-hypertensive group) in accordance with The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Pulmonary function was measured by dry rolling seal spirometry. Forced expiratory volume in the one second and forced vital capacity were converted into percent-predicted values based on average pulmonary function amongst Koreans.

RESULTS

The number of hypertensive participants in the present study was 460 (male: 205, female: 255) and the number of non-hypertensive participants was 994 (male: 419, female: 575). Our findings have shown that the mean values for expiratory volume in the one second and forced vital capacity were significantly lower for hypertensive people than for non-hypertensive people, among women (P=0.002 for forced expiratory volume in the one second, P<0.001 for forced vital capacity volume). Odds ratio analysis revealed that hypertensive participants were more likely to have lower pulmonary function than non-hypertensive participants, again significantly among women.

CONCLUSIONS

The pulmonary function of hypertensive women was significantly lower than that of non-hypertensive women aged 40-70.

Novos valores de referência para espirometria forçada em brasileiros adultos de raça branca

OBJETIVO: Descrever novas equações de referência para a espirometria em adultos brasileiros saudáveis que nunca fumaram, e comparar os valores previstos atuais com os valores derivados em 1992. MÉTODOS: Equações e limites de referência foram derivados em 270 homens e 373 mulheres, habitantes de oito cidades brasileiras, por espirômetro. A idade variou de 20 a 85 anos nas mulheres e 26 a 86 anos nos homens. Os exames seguiram as normas recomendadas pela Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia. Os limites inferiores foram derivados pela análise do 5º percentil dos resíduos. RESULTADOS: Os valores previstos para capacidade vital forçada (CVF), volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1) e para as relações VEF1/CVF e VEF1/volume expiratório forçado nos primeiros seis segundos (VEF6) se ajustaram melhor em regressões lineares. Os fluxos ajustaram-se melhor em equações logarítmicas. Em ambos os sexos, maiores estaturas resultaram em menores valores para as relações VEF1/CVF, VEF1/VEF6 e fluxos/CVF. Os valores de referência do VEF1 e da CVF, no presente estudo, foram maiores do que aqueles derivados para adultos brasileiros em 1992. CONCLUSÃO: Novos valores previstos para a espirometria forçada foram obtidos em uma amostra da população brasileira de raça branca. Os valores são maiores do que os obtidos em 1992, provavelmente em decorrência de fatores técnicos.

Associations among plasma adiponectin, hypertension, left ventricular diastolic function and left ventricular mass index

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to characterize the relationships among plasma adiponectin, essential hypertension, left ventricular diastolic function and left ventricular hypertrophy.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Plasma adiponectin concentration was assessed by radioimmunoassay, and body mass index (BMI) was measured in 275 patients (138 women and 137 men). Various echocardiographic parameters such as deceleration time (DT) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) were measured by using echocardiograms. The authors calculated left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and E/A ratio. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was calculated by dividing the distance between the left subclavian artery ostium and the tip of the femoral sheath with the time interval between two pulse waves. The plasma adiponectin concentration of the hypertensive group was significantly lower than that of the non-hypertensive group (9.9 +/- 9.8 microg/ml vs. 12.9 +/- 9.5 microg/ml, p = 0.019). PWV in the hypertensive group was 12.0 +/- 3.9 m/s compared with 9.3 +/- 2.8 m/s in the normotensive group (p < 0.001). LVMI in the hypertensive group was 135.1 +/- 35.4 g/m2 compared with 100.5 +/- 18.7 g/m2 in the normotensive group (p < 0.001). E/A ratio (0.8 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.4, p = 0.041) was lower in the hypertensive group. DT (200.0 +/- 61.2 ms vs. 177.3 +/- 40.8 ms, p = 0.048) and IVRT (106.9 +/- 25.4 vs. 91.3 +/- 27.6 ms, p = 0.243) were higher in the hypertensive group. Plasma adiponectin showed an inverse correlation with LVMI (r = -0.525; p < 0.001) and PWV (r = -0.557; p < 0.001), IVRT (r = -0.485; p = 0.008), and showed a positive correlation with E/A ratio (r = 0.359; p < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses showed that PWV and plasma adiponectin were able to explain the 73.3% of LVMI variability (r = 0.856; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that a decrease in plasma adiponectin concentration is associated with the progression of left ventricular hypertrophy with diastolic dysfunction.