Left ventricular muscle volume (LVMV) was echocardiographically measured in 296 normotensive and 12 borderline hypertensive children aged 6-15 years.
LVMV were enlarged in two among 12 hypertensive children. A girl aged 14 with a family history of hypertension had a markedly enlarged LVMV (145.8 ccm) despite borderline hypertension (132/80).Thus,left ventricular hypertrophy may have already occurred before or immediately after the development of hypertension as observed in spontaneously hypertensive rats.It was concluded that the enlarged LVMV during childhood was a risk factor for hypertension and its early detection was important for the prevention of hypertension.
The normotensive children were divided into two groups, one with a family history of hypertension and the other without.There were no differences in values of LVMV, serum cholesterol and blood pressure between the groups. Although the significant differences were not present before the age of 15, on-going follow-up studies are expected to provide more pertinent information.