Objective The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of the left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in obese and non-obese Lithuanian children evaluated for arterial hypertension (AH).

Participants The study cohort consisted of 97 children (78 boys and 27 girls) with mean age of 16.3 years, range 10.8 – 18 years with AH (an average systolic or diastolic blood pressure (BP) of at least three measurements on different occasions was ⩾ the 95th percentile for age, sex and height).

Methods Left ventricular mass (LVM) was calculated from 2-dimensional guided M-mode echocardiographic measurements of the left ventricle and indexed according to de Simone et al.

Results 34.6% of evaluated children were obese. 26.8% of examined children had LVH (LVMI >38.6 g/m2.7), 4.1% had significant LVH (LVMI >51 g/m2.7). LVH was found in 40.7% obese children with AH (37% eccentric LVH, 3.7% concentric LVH, 3.7% concentric LV remodeling), in 11.1% LVH significant. In non-obese children LVH was detected in 21.4% (15.7% eccentric LVH, 5.7% concentric LVH, 8.6% concentric LV remodeling), significant LVH – in 1.4%.

Conclusion LVH was frequently detected in Lithuanian children with AH. It was more common and more significant in obese children with AH. Eccentric hypertrophy was the most common type of LVH.