Higher blood pressure during light exercise is associated with increased left ventricular mass index in normotensive subjects

An exaggerated blood pressure response during an exercise test reflects a future risk of hypertension and is related to increased left ventricular mass (LVM) in hypertensive patients. However, whether this relationship exists in normotensive subjects is not known. We enrolled 7923 health normotensive screening volunteers. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) at stage 1 of the exercise test was used as an indicator of the exercise BP response. Two-dimensional echocardiography was used to obtain the LVM index. Exercise SBP was significantly correlated with the LVM index (r = 0.11, P < 0.001). Higher exercise SBP at stage 1 was associated with an increased LVM index after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, hemoglobin, SBP at rest, and peak oxygen consumption (P < 0.001). Higher SBP during low-intensity exercise was associated with an increased LVM index in normotensive subjects.