Data from a major study suggests variation in rates of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and abnormal left ventricular (LV) remodeling among subgroups of the U.S. Hispanic population; both conditions are signs of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

This article presents analysis of data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Previous research had shown that hypertension varied among U.S. Hispanics. This study compared left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and abnormal left ventricular (LV) remodeling among Hispanic subgroups.

MESA collected demographic information, performed blood pressure and hypertension assessments, and cardiac MRIs. Participants in MESA were non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanic, and Chinese (this study excluded Chinese participants).

The authors of this study used MRI data taken from MESA to create an index that measured left ventricular mass (LVM); researchers use LVM to define left ventricular hypertrophy and abnormal LV remodeling. This study created four categories of LV remodeling patterns. For example, high LVM was part of the definition of concentric hypertrophy, an abnormal LV remodeling pattern and CVD risk factor.

Key Findings:

• Among Hispanic subgroups, Caribbean-origin Hispanics had the highest rate of hypertension.
• Caribbean- and Mexican-origin Hispanics were twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to have LVH.
• Participants with concentric hypertrophy were 53 percent more likely than participants with normal LV remodeling to have hypertension.

Among U.S. Hispanics, CVD is a leading cause of death. Researchers use LVM to define two markers of CVD: abnormal LV remodeling and LVH. This analysis of data from MESA points to disparities in LVH and abnormal LV remodeling within the U.S. Hispanic population.