Electrocardiographic abnormalities of left ventricular repolarization: prognostic implications in hypertensive post-menopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Although repolarization abnormalities on ECG are frequent in post-menopausal hypertensive women, their prognostic value in these women is uncertain.

METHODS: We analyzed 908 hypertensive post-menopausal women consecutively included in the PIUMA (Progetto Ipertensione Umbria Monitoraggio Ambulatoriale) study. The median duration of follow-up was 8.6 years (range: 1-21). All women were untreated at entry. Drug treatment during follow-up was adjusted to single individuals. Standard 12-lead ECG was carried out at entry. The Minnesota Coding was used to define minor and major ("typical strain") repolarization abnormalities.

DESIGN: prospective observational study in essential hypertension.

RESULTS: Mean age at entry was 60 years. At baseline, ECG was normal in 707 women, minor ST-T changes were noted in 152 women, and a typical strain pattern was present in 49 subjects. Predictors of typical strain were age, diabetes and systolic blood pressure (BP). During follow-up there were 119 new cardiovascular (CV) events and 75 all-cause deaths. Typical strain was associated with a threefold higher risk of CV disease (HR: 3.16; 95% CI: 1.59-6.31; p=0.001) after adjustment for the significant influence of age, diabetes, serum creatinine, systolic BP and HDL-cholesterol. Women with minor LV repolarization abnormalities showed a non-significant excess risk of CV disease when compared with women with normal LV repolarization (HR: 1.25; 95% CI: 0.69-2.26; p=0.467). Similar results were obtained for all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: Typical strain pattern, an easily detectable marker of altered LV repolarization, identifies post-menopausal hypertensive women at increased risk of CV disease and all-cause mortality.