Left atrium reclassified: application of the American Society of Echocardiography/European Society of Cardiology cutoffs to unselected outpatients referred to the echocardiography laboratory.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether categorization of abnormal left atrial (LA) size based on volumes indexed to body surface area (LAVi) results in reclassification of LA dilatation if the classic antero-posterior diameter (LAd) was measured. The American Society of Echocardiography/European Society of Cardiology recommended LAVi over linear measurements and recently published cutoffs to qualify LA dilatation. However, many laboratories continue to use the LAd because it appears easier to measure. METHODS: Unselected adult outpatients referred to the echocardiography laboratory for any indication in the period March 2005 to January 2006 prospectively underwent standard Doppler echocardiography, including real-time measurement of LAd and LAVi. RESULTS: We enrolled 578 patients (mean age 66 +/- 14 years, 56% women). There was a good positive linear correlation between LAd and LAVi (r = 0.686, P < .0001). When the published cutoffs for LA enlargement were used, 49.0% of patients were classified as having abnormal LA by LAd and 76.3% by LAVi (P < .001). Of the 295 who had normal LA by LAd, 58.6% patients had abnormal LAVi. Conversely, of the 283 with abnormal LAd, almost all patients (94.7%) had abnormal LAVi. The proportion of overall agreement was 67.5% (kappa = 0.357, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Assessment of LA size by LAVi allows identification of patients with enlarged atria that would have been missed if classified by antero-posterior diameters, especially when cutoffs are applied.

Endothelial-dependent vasodilation and incidence of type 2 diabetes in a population of healthy postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: Both postmenopausal state and diabetes are associated with endothelial dysfunction and are well-known risk factors for atherosclerosis. However, the relationship of endothelium-dependent vasodilation and diabetes has never been prospectively evaluated. This study provided the opportunity to assess the association between endothelial vasodilation function and the incidence of diabetes in a cohort of apparently healthy postmenopausal women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study that began in 1997 with 840 apparently healthy, nonobese, postmenopausal women, aged 53 +/- 6 years, initially with normal glucose tolerance at the oral glucose tolerance test. All participants were followed up for a mean period of 3.9 +/- 0.7 years (range 0.5-6.9). Endothelial function was measured as flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, using high-resolution ultrasound. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in demographic, blood pressure, and biochemical profiles among each tertile group at baseline or at follow-up review. During follow-up, 102 women developed type 2 diabetes. The adjusted relative risk (RR) for women with FMD /=5.6 (highest tertile reference). Each 1-unit decrease of FMD was associated with a significant 32% (22-48%) increase in the multiple-adjusted RR of incident diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: These prospective data indicate a significant increase in the RR of diabetes with each unit decrease of FMD. This could suggest that an impaired endothelial function may play a fundamental role in diabetogenesis in postmenopausal women.

Flow-mediated vasodilation and the risk of developing hypertension in healthy postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: This study provided the opportunity to assess the relationship between endothelial vasomotor function and incidence of hypertension in a cohort of postmenopausal women. BACKGROUND: Both menopause and hypertension are associated with endothelial dysfunction and are well-known risk factors for atherosclerotic-related disease. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study that began in 1996 on 952 apparently healthy postmenopausal women, age 53 +/- 5 years (range 44 to 60 years), with initially normal levels of blood pressure and no history of hypertension. All participants were followed up for a mean period of 3.6 +/- 0.7 years (range 0.5 to 6.9 years). Endothelial function was measured as flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery using high-resolution ultrasound. RESULTS: During follow-up 112 women developed hypertension. The adjusted relative risk for women with flow-mediated dilation of 3.5 or less (lowest quartile) was 5.77 (95% confidence interval 4.34 to 8.10) versus women with flow-mediated dilation of 5.5 or greater (highest quartile, referent). Each one-unit decrease of flow-mediated dilation was associated with a significant 16% (95% confidence interval 12% to 33%) increase in the multiple-adjusted relative risk of incident hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: These prospective data indicate a significant increase in the relative risk of hypertension with each unit decrease of flow-mediated dilation that is independent of age and baseline systolic and diastolic pressure values. This could suggest that an impaired endothelial vasomotor function precedes and predicts the future development of hypertension in postmenopausal women.