Clinical Phenotypes in Hypertension: A Data-Driven Approach to Risk Stratification.

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is a major contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Its heterogeneity complicates risk stratification. Unsupervised machine learning can uncover risk profiles and refine preventative strategies. This study applied a data-driven approach to identify clinical phenotypes of hypertension, examine their associations with cardiovascular imaging characteristics and adverse outcomes, and assess the mediating role of cardiac imaging features in these associations.

METHODS

Fourteen thousand eight hundred forty UK Biobank participants with diagnosed hypertension and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging were analyzed. K-means clustering was applied to 77 clinical variables. Associations with incident heart failure, atrial fibrillation, atherosclerotic events, all-cause mortality, and major adverse cardiovascular events were examined and adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors. Mediation analyses assessed the role of cardiovascular imaging features in the association between clusters and outcomes.

RESULTS

Three clusters emerged. Cluster 1, predominantly female with the most favorable metabolic profile, had the lowest risk. Cluster 2, predominantly male with the highest atherosclerosis burden, carried the greatest risk for all adverse events, independent of cardiovascular risk factors. They showed severe cardiac remodeling, impaired cardiac mechanisms, and global left atrial dysfunction. Cluster 3 had a profile resembling metabolic syndrome, with moderate risk for atrial fibrillation and all-cause death (hazard ratio, 1.65 and 1.58; P<0.05). Although in cluster 2 the risk was largely mediated by left ventricular hypertrophy, in cluster 3 its role was attenuated and more evenly balanced with left atrial dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Clustering analysis identified distinct hypertension phenotypes with specific risk profiles, suggesting potential for improved stratification and more tailored treatment approaches.