Haematocrit levels and left ventricular geometry: results of the MONICA Augsburg Echocardiographic Substudy

Stritzke, Jan and Mayer, Bjoern and Lieb, Wolfgang and Luchner, Andreas and Doering, Angela and Hense, Hans-Werner and Schunkert, Heribert (2007) Haematocrit levels and left ventricular geometry: results of the MONICA Augsburg Echocardiographic Substudy. JOURNAL OF HYPERTENSION, 25 (6). pp. 1301-1309. ISSN 0263-6352, 1473-5598

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

Background Extreme alterations in blood count such as anaemia or polycythemia are known to cause circulatory changes and, if these alterations persist, adaptations of cardiac geometry. Objectives To investigate further the association between haematocrit levels and left ventricular geometry in a population-based sample. Methods We examined 687 women and 648 men, aged 25-74 years, participating in the third population-based MONICA Augsburg study. Anthropometry, blood pressure, laboratory measurements and M-mode echocardiography were obtained using standardized methods. Results Haematocrit levels were inversely related to end-diastolic diameters (P<0.001). By contrast, septal and posterior wall thickness displayed parabolic association curves with nadirs at physiological haematocrit levels (P<0.001). These associations remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, body fat, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, serum creatinine, and were likewise found for haemoglobin levels or numbers of erythrocytes. These correlations appeared to be secondary to changes in blood pressure and stroke volume that correlated either positively (blood pressure) or inversely (stroke volume) with haematocrit levels. Consequently, a concentric pattern of left ventricular hypertrophy, i.e. a relative wall thickness of 0.45 or greater, was significantly more prevalent in subjects with high haematocrit levels than in those with intermediate haematocrit levels. By contrast, an eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy, i.e. relative wall thickness less than 0.45, was more common in subjects with low haematocrit levels. Conclusion In the general population, the variability of haematocrit levels and its haemodynamic consequences translates to distinct patterns of left ventricular geometry.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: CHRONIC SEVERE ANEMIA; RECOMBINANT-HUMAN-ERYTHROPOIETIN; CHRONIC HEART-FAILURE; BODY-COMPOSITION; BLOOD-PRESSURE; HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS; CARDIAC-HYPERTROPHY; GENERAL-POPULATION; HYPERTENSION; MASS; echocardiography; haematocrit; hypertrophy; left ventricular geometry; population; remodeling
Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine
Divisions: Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Innere Medizin II
Depositing User: Dr. Gernot Deinzer
Date Deposited: 04 Dec 2020 09:19
Last Modified: 04 Dec 2020 09:19
URI: https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/32683

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item