Ultrasound diagnostics of left ventricular hypertrophy: once more about the indexation of myocardial mass

Abstract

We provided historical aspects and some features of different ultrasound diagnostic methods of left ventricular hypertrophy, their advantages and disadvantages. Using some methods of statistical analysis, we tried to assess the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and consistency of the two most commonly used methods of left ventricular mass indexations (to the body surface area and to the height 2.7) among patients with different body mass indexes. According to our results, among patients with body mass index less than 25.0 kg/m2, both left ventricular myocardial mass indexations have good consistency with each other and can be effectively used in the diagnostic of left ventricular hypertrophy. Fairly good consistency between the studied criteria among patients with a body mass index of 25.0–29.9 also, theoretically, allows to use both methods of indexation for the diagnosing of this pathology. According to the poor consistency of the studied criteria, in case of body mass index more than 30.0 kg/m2, left ventricular myocardial mass indexation to height 2,7 should be used only.