Progressive hypertrophy regression with sustained pressure reduction in hypertension:: the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint Reduction study

Objective To examine the time course of left ventricular (LV) geometric response to blood pressure (BP) control during 2 years of systematic anti hypertensive treatment. Design A total of 754 hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) by Cornell voltage-duration product or Sokolow-Lyon voltage criteria on a screening electrocardiogram had their LV mass measured by echocardiogram at enrolment in the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint Reduction (LIFE) trial, and after 12 and 24 months of blinded therapy with losartan-based or atenolol-based regimens. Setting The LIFE trial, in which hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic LVH (Cornell voltage-duration product > 2440 mm x ms and/or Sokolow-Lyon voltage criteria SV1 + RV5-6 > 38 mm) were randomized to greater than or equal to 4 years double-blinded treatment with losartan or atenolol. Participants A total of 754 LIFE participants with serial echocardiographic measurements of LV geometry. Interventions None. Main outcome measures LV wall thicknesses, diameter and mass, and its indices. Results Mean systolic/diastolic BP fell from 173/95 to 150184 mmHg after 1 year (P < 0.001) and to 148/83 mmHg at year 2 (P = not significant). Mean echocardiographic LV mass fell from 233 g at baseline to 206 g after 1 year (P < 0.001, adjusted for change in systolic BP) and to 195 g at year 2 (P < 0.001 versus year 1), with a parallel decrease in indexed LV mass [from 56.1 to 49.7 g/M-2.7 (P < 0.001), to 47.1 g/m(2.7) (p < 0.001 versus year 1)] Relative wall thickness decreased from 0.41 at baseline to 0.37 at year 1 (P < 0.001), to 0.36 at year 2 (P < 0.001 versus year 1). As a result, there were serial decreases in prevalences of eccentric LVH [44 to 38%, and to 30% (P < 0.001 versus year 1)] and concentric LVH [24 to 7% (P < 0.001), to 2% (P < 0.05 versus year 1)], and increases in the proportion with normal LV geometry [22 to 50% (P < 0.001), and to 64% (P < 0.01 versus year 1)]. Conclusions Sustained BP reduction in hypertensive patients with target organ damage causes continued decrease in echocardiographic LV mass and prevalence of anatomic LVH for at least 2 years despite only small 13113 decreases after the first year of blinded therapy. These data document cardiac benefit of sustained BP control and suggest that maximum LVH regression with effective anti hypertensive treatment requires at least 2 years. (c) 2002 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.