Pulse pressure determines left atrial enlargement in non-dipper patients with never-treated essential hypertension

We examined the association between three indices of arterial wall stiffness ( office pulse pressure, pulse wave velocity, pressure strain modulus) and left atrial enlargement in 54 non-dipper and 36 dipper patients with never-treated essential hypertension. In non-dipper patients, left atrium size was significantly increased (P=0.04) while office pulse pressure was found as the only significant determinant for left atrium size (P < 0.001). Therefore, pulse pressure is the best determinant of left atrial enlargement in non-dippers with never-treated essential hypertension.