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Determinants of left ventricular mass in a French male population.

The aim of this analysis was to study the determinants of left ventricular mass evaluated by echocardiography. A total of 843 healthy men aged 47-61 years, who had a standard health check-up at the Centre d'Investigations Preventives et Cliniques (IPC Center), were included in the study. None of the subjects were being treated for cardiovascular disease at the time of their visit and each had a standard clinical and biological examination. The answers to a lifestyle questionnaire, weight at 20 years and family history were recorded. All subjects had an echocardiogram to evaluate left ventricular mass. Left ventricular mass values were adjusted for height using the ratio of left ventricular mass to height. Current body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, brachial circumference, triglycerides and a family history of sudden death were positively associated with this ratio (p < 0.01). Physical activity and tobacco consumption were associated with left ventricular mass. Body mass index at 20 years, variation of body mass index since that age, systolic blood pressure and family history of sudden death explain 21% of the ratio of left ventricular mass/height (body mass index at 20 years: 11.8%; variation of body mass index: 5.1%; systolic blood pressure: 2.3%; and family history of sudden death: 0.4%). The other factors explain only 1.4% of this variance and were not significantly associated with the ratio of left ventricular mass to height. Body mass index at 20 years was the strongest determinant of left ventricular mass, suggesting that left ventricular mass at middle age is in large measure determined much earlier in life. A family history of sudden death before the age of 60 years is also an important determinant of left ventricular mass, independent of obesity. These factors must be taken into account in order to prevent an increase in left ventricular mass.