| Abstract: | Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is common and important predictor of risk of death in end-stage renal failure. In the present study we have analysed echocardiographically the left ventricular hypertrophy and some possible risk factors continuing to its development in patients with chronic renal failure (crf) treated by hemodialysis (HD). From a cohort of 85 patients with crf we selected for analysis 59 clinically stable patients. Echocardiography (ECHO), body mass index (BMI), serum creatinine, urea, total protein, albumin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, electrolytes and parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations were evaluated in all patients at the next hours after HD session. LVH was common in HD patients: concentric LVH was detected by ECHO in 46 patients and in 13 patients eccentric LVH was observed. Mean serum concentrations of urea, creatinine, PTH and phosphate differed from normal values while hemoglobin, total protein, albumin, sodium kalium, calcium serum concentration were in the normal range. Positive correlation was found between PTH serum concentration and LVM r = 0.704 (p < 0.001), between PTH serum concentration and IVS r = 0.267 (p < 0.04), between PTH serum concentration and PW t = 0.238 (p < 0.04), and negative correlation between BMI and LVMI r = -0.451 (p < 0.05). The correlations between serum PTH concentration and LVH and between BMI and LVH confirmed that both hyperparathyroidism and malnutrition are important factors influencing the development of LVH in HD patients. |
