Cornell product relates to albuminuria in hypertensive black adults independently of blood pressure: the SABPA study

•Subclinical left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with urinary albumin excretion;•Findings were in relatively young (mean age, 45 years) non-diabetic hypertensives;•This finding remained consistent after excluding participants with microalbuminuria;•Normoalbuminuria has relevance and appropriate intervention strategies must be followed;•Especially important in high cardiovascular risk groups such as black hypertensive adults.

Evidence of the relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy and urinary albumin excretion is contradictory and limited in black adults in whom hypertensive heart disease is common. We aimed to investigate the relationship between subclinical left ventricular hypertrophy and albuminuria in non–diabetic hypertensive blacks. Urinary albumin–to–creatinine ratio (UACR) was determined from 8–hour overnight urine collection. We recorded ambulatory blood pressure and 12–lead electrocardiogram during a typical working day. Cornell product (P = .002), UACR (P = .042), 24–hour systolic pressure (P < .0001), and 24–hour pulse pressure (P < .0001) were higher in the hypertensive group. Cornell product was associated with UACR in single (r = 0.25; P = .012), partial (P trend = .002), and multiple regression (β = 0.326; P = .0005) analyses in the hypertensive group only, even below the threshold for microalbuminuria and independent of 24–hour systolic pressure. Urinary albumin excretion is associated with subclinical left ventricular hypertrophy in non–diabetic hypertensive blacks and may be a useful marker of early cardiovascular disease in blacks.