RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To find the prevalence of and risk factors associated with echocardiographically determined left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in the general Thai elderly men and women. BACKGROUND: The prevalence of LVH and risk factors is not at present available for precise assessment of the seriousness in the general Thai population. The prevalence of LVH may be influenced by race, obesity, age, sex and hypertension. Their effects on left ventricular mass (LVM) have not been defined in the general Thai population. METHOD: A cohort of 157 subjects 60 years of age and over was studied. LVM was calculated using the modification of the ASE cube formula. Criteria for LVH were based on various LVM indexation using the published conventional partition values. Univariate and multivariate analyses with various variables were studied. RESULT: M-mode echocardiographic studies of adequate quality were obtained in 125 (80%) of 157 participants. Prevalence of LVH depended on the different types of indexation. LVH defined by 1) unindexes LVM (> or = 259g in men (M), > or = 166 g in women (F)) was 35(28%); 2) defined by LVM/BSA (> or = 131 g/m2 in M, > or = 100g/m2 in F) 63 (50%); 3) (> or = 117 g/m2 in M, > or = 104 g/m2 in F) 68 (54%); 4) (> or = 125 g/m2 in both M and F) 43 (34%); 5) defined by LVM/ height (> or = 143 g/m in M and > or = 102 g/m in F) 49 (39%); 6) (> or = 126 g/m in M and > or = 105 g/m in F) 52 (42%); 7) defined by LVM/height2.7 (> or = 51 g/m2.7 in both M and F) 62 (50%); 8) (> or = 50 g/m2.7 in M, > or = 47 g/m2.7 in F) 77 (62%). The following variables independently predicted LVM in descending order of statistical significance: BW, BMI, SBP, PP, height were the most significant (p < 0.01), whereas, DBP and gender made smaller contributions and age showed no correlation. In multivariate analysis only BW and PP showed significant correlation with LVM in the total population. CONCLUSION: LVH is a common echocardiographic finding in Thai elderly (28-62%). Body weight and PP are major risk factors. These findings support weight reduction and PP control for prevention or regression of this condition. Indexing for BSA (LVM/BSA >117 g/m2 in M, > or = 104 g/m2 in F) reduces LVH variability in underweight, normal weight and overweight subgroups as well as sexes.