Could early septal involvement in the remodeling process be related to the advance hypertensive heart disease?

BACKGROUND Quantitative imaging analyses showed an earlier septal wall involvement in hypertension. We planned to determine the effect of hypertension on regional myocardial performance index (MPI) in a hypertensive patient population. METHODS We evaluated 119 hypertensive patients who were divided into gr. I: 57 patients without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), (53.1 ± 10 years), and gr. II: 62 patients with LVH (55.1 ± 9 years) using conventional and tissue doppler imaging. They were compared with gr. III, a sex-age-matched normal control group (37 subjects, 53.0 ± 10 years). RESULTS We detected basal septal and basal lateral contraction time (CT), isovolumetric CT and relaxation time (IVRT) and MPI. EF was 68 ± 5 % in gr. I, 69 ± 5 % in gr. II, 69 ± 4 % in gr. III. LV mass index was 122 ± 11 g/m2 in gr. I, 148 ± 13 g/m2 in gr. II and 118 ± 13 g/m2 in gr. III. Concentric LVH was detected in gr. II (relative wall thickness = 0.49 ± 0.8). LV septal and lateral MPI were abnormal in both hypertensive groups (p < 0.0001). Septal MPI was correlated moderately with septal wall thickness (r = 0.447, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS LV diastolic dysfunction becomes more severe in septal wall than lateral wall in hypertensive LVH. Septal myocardial performance is more dominantly affected by hypertension possibly due to earlier septal involvement in disease course. Septal MPI is correlated moderately with septal wall thickness.