LV Hypertrophy Predicts Long-Term Risk for CV Events

Elevated left ventricular (LV) mass is associated with an increased long-term risk for cardiovascular (CV) events, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in Radiology.

Nadine Kawel-Boehm, M.D., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues examined the long-term impact of elevated LV mass on CV events in a prospective multiethnic population. A total of 6,814 participants were enrolled between 2000 and 2002; LV mass was derived from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at baseline enrollment. During 15 years, 4,988 participants were followed for CV events.

The researchers found that 290 participants had hard coronary heart disease (CHD) events (207 myocardial infarctions [MIs] and 95 CHD deaths), 57 had other CV disease-related deaths, and 215 had heart failure. Hard CVD events (hazard ratio, 2.7 [MI, hazard ratio, 2.8; CHD death, hazard ratio, 4.3]), other CV death (hazard ratio, 7.5), and heart failure (hazard ratio, 5.4) were independently predicted by LV hypertrophy. Compared with coronary artery calcification, LV hypertrophy was a stronger predictor for CHD death, other CV death, and heart failure (z-scores: 5.4 versus 3.4, 6.8 versus 2.4, and 9.7 versus 3.2, respectively). Participants with LV hypertrophy had an increased risk for CV events in Kaplan-Meier analysis, particularly after five years.

"Our results provide further evidence and motivation for aggressive treatment of individuals with LV hypertrophy," the authors write.

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