Echocardiographic evaluation of the morphologic and functional involvement of the heart in hemodialysis patients with end stage renal disease

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the morhologic and functional changes occurred in cardiac structures of hemodialysis patients with end stage renal disease (ESAD). Fourty-four patients with ESAD (25 female, 19 male, mean age 39±14 years) were underwent transthoracic echocardiography. Patients were divided into two groups; the patients with ESAD duration shorter than 24 months (Group 1, n=20) and the patients with ESAD duration longer than 24 months (Group II, n=24). No significant differences were present between the groups about age, blood pressure, blood urea, creatinin and other biochemical parameters. in 82% of the cases, cardiac morhologic changes were determined by two-dimensional echocardiography (lcy glass appearance in 79% of the cases, left ventricular hypertrophy in 75% of the cases, aortic valve calcification in 54% of the cases, pericardial effusion in 52% of the cases, mitral annular calcification in 27% of the cases). Pathologic diastolic flow pattern was determined in 72% of the cases by Doppler echocardiographic study. When the groups were compared, mitral annular calcification and aortic valve calcification determined more comrnon in Group II (p <0.05). in Doppler study, isovolumetric relaxation time was calculated lenger in Group II (p <0.05).

In conclusion, cardiac morphologic changes and pathologic diastolic flow patterns determined in most of the cases with ESAD. Among the echocardiographic findings, mitral annular calcification, aortic valve calcification and isovolumetric relaxation time were effected mainly from the duration of the disease.