Value of Cornell index in diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension

AIM: To assess the diagnostic values of Cornell indexes in diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and in detecting different geometric patterns of hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: Ninety-six patients with essential hypertension were divided into four groups according to the different parameters of echocardiography such as left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness: normal geometry group (N), concentric remodeling group (CR), concentric hypertrophy group (CH) and eccentric hypertrophy group (EH). Cornell indexes in different groups were analyzed. RESULTS: Cornell voltage index and Cornell product index differentiated LVH from normal geometry. Cornell voltage index >2.8 mv (male), Cornell voltage index >2.0 mv (female) and Cornell product index >2 440 mm/msec (male) were of great value in discriminating CH (88.2%, 84.6% and 82.4%) and EH (62.5%, 60.0% and 62.5%) (P<0.01). Cornell product index >2 440 mm/msec (male and female) was significantly higher in the CR group (80.0%, 75.0%) compared with that in the EH group (62.5%, 40.0%) (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Cornell voltage index and Cornell product index have significant values in discriminating different geometric patterns of LVH.