Association of body mass, gender and race with heart failure primarily dueto hypertension

OBJECTIVES This study was performed to determine the association between cl inical characteristics, particularly body mass and wee, and the likelihood of hypertension as the primary etiology for heart failure (HTNCM). BACKGROUND Although held to be important in the development of heart failur e, the clinical characteristics predictive of HTNCM have not been well deli neated. METHODS The study analysis was conducted using 680 patients from the Univer sity of North Carolina Heart Failure Database. This data set is racially di verse (44% African-American) and contains data concerning baseline clinical characteristics and cardiac function in patients with and without HTNCM. L ogistic regression techniques determined independent predictors of HTNCM am ong the entire study population as well as the subgroup of study patients w ith hypertension. RESULTS Hypertension was present in 51%, of the study patients but was the primary etiology of heart failure in only 25%. Body mass, race, gender and baseline systolic blood pressure were identified as significant independent predictors of the likelihood of HTNCM (all p < 0.001). These characteristi cs were predictors in the total study population and also in the subgroup o f study patients with hypertension. CONCLUSIONS Hypertension remains a common etiologic factor for the developm ent of heart failure but was the primary cause of heart failure in a minori ty of study patients. However, the presence of increased body mass, female gender, African-American ethnic origin or elevated baseline systolic blood pressure significantly increased the likelihood of HTNCM. (C) 1999 by the A merican College of Cardiology.