SPECIAL ARTICLE  RECENT ONGOING EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES 

Panminerva Medica 2021 December;63(4):458-63

DOI: 10.23736/S0031-0808.21.04433-5

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

The Vobarno Study

Enrico AGABITI ROSEI ¹ ✉, Maria L. MUIESAN ^{1, 2}, Massimo SALVETTI ^{1, 2}, Anna PAINI ², Claudia AGABITI ROSEI ^{1, 2}, Carlo AGGIUSTI ², Fabio BERTACCHINI ², Maurizio CASTELLANO ^{1, 2}, Mara GIACCHÈ ²

¹ Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Medical Clinic, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; ² Department of Medicine, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy

The Vobarno Study represents the first observational study aimed to assess in a general population sample the relationship between parameters of cardiac and vascular structure (and function) and blood pressure values, measured in the clinic and during the 24 hours. In the frame of The Vobarno Study blood samples for hematochemistry and DNA extraction, clinic and 24-hour blood pressure measurements, cardiac and carotid ultrasound, and aortic stiffness were measured in all subjects, living in a small town (Vobarno) between Brescia and the Garda Lake (Italy), and randomly selected from electoral roles. In this sample of a general population an extensive evaluation of organ damage, including left ventricular (LV) mass and hypertrophy, LV systolic function, left atrial dimensions and aortic root diameters, carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaques, carotid and aortic stiffness were performed. In this study subjects were included in a long follow-up, lasting 25 years, and cardiovascular morbility and mortality were assessed up to 2019. This will allow to update the information related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the study cohort. The present paper will report the results of some analyses performed, exploring epidemiological and clinical aspects of target organ damage.

KEY WORDS: Hypertension; Epidemiology; Morbidity; Mortality; Cardiovascular system