[Left ventricular hypertrophy and blood pressure variability during rest and ambulatory monitoring in the hypertensive patient].

To study the relationship between assessment of blood pressure (BP) variability measured by continuous measurement (Finapres) or discontinuous ambulatory (ABPM Spacelabs) in 70 untreated essential hypertensive subjects (mean age 51 +/- 12) and their relationship with the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). There is no relationship between the BP variability measurements either by Finapres nor by ABPM. Multiple regression analysis show that ambulatory systolic BP variability (standard deviation) and resting BP variability (spectral analysis of SBP in the medium frequency band 0.1 Hz) are related to LVH index when we take into account age and BP difference (to explain LVH) (p < 0.001) ABPM SBP variability increase with LVH, while resting SBP measurement of BP variability (Mayer waves) significantly decreased. The study points to the different role of BP variability measurements in the mechanisms related to left ventricular hypertrophy and to the interest of continuous BP resting spectral analysis measurements.