Characteristics of the study population
| Characteristic | Hypertensive patients | Controls | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data are mean (SD), number, or number (%). | |||
| LV, left ventricular; NS, not significant. | |||
| Women | 40 (57%) | 10 (67%) | NS |
| Age (years) | 58 (8) | 53 (6) | 0.02 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 148 (21) | 120 (11) | <0.001 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 82 (10) | 68 (5) | <0.001 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 30.1 (5.4) | 24.6 (3.3) | <0.001 |
| Diabetes | 2 | 0 | NS |
| Hyperlipidaemia or statin | 30 | 8 | NS |
| Smoking | 5 | 2 | NS |
| Vasodilator | 49 | 0 | <0.05 |
| β Blocker | 20 | 0 | <0.05 |
| Diuretic | 15 | 1 | NS |
| LV mass/body surface area (g/m2) | 82 (18) | 79 (12) | 0.61 |
| LV mass/height2.7 (g/m2.7) | 39.5 (10.1) | 35.3 (5.7) | 0.037 |
| Relative wall thickness | 0.38 (0.06) | 0.35 (0.04) | 0.014 |
| Left atrial area (cm2) | 22.4 (4.3) | 18.6 (3.5) | 0.002 |