Echocardiographic assessment of cardiac structure and function in chronic renal disease

Volume markers in left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and adverse outcomes in peritoneal dialysis patients: a prospective cohort study

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an early event associated with cardiovascular complications and poor prognosis in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing dialysis. In this study, we investigated whether diastolic dysfunction, measured by the E/E' ratio, affects adverse outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients (n = 148). Our results showed that patients with an E/E' ratio ≥ 15 were more likely to be female, have a longer dialysis vintage, have significantly higher left atrial volume index and left atrial kinetic energy levels, have lower E' levels and LV hypertrophy (LVH) degree, and have higher volume markers. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that patients with a higher E/E' ratio had worse survival and a higher risk of heart failure than those with a lower E/E' ratio. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that non-diabetic patients with a higher E/E' ratio had a higher risk of heart failure than those with a lower E/E' ratio. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis indicated that the ECW/ICW ratio was strongly associated with LVDD and confirmed that the E/E' ratio was an independent risk factor for overall death. Our study suggests that monitoring the E/E' ratio in PD patients is important for improving their prognosis.

Pathophysiological concepts and screening of cardiovascular disease in dialysis patients

Dialysis patients experience 10-20 times higher cardiovascular mortality than the general population. The high burden of both conventional and nontraditional risk factors attributable to loss of renal function can explain higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and death among dialysis patients. As renal function declines, uremic toxins accumulate in the blood and disrupt cell function, causing cardiovascular damage. Hemodialysis patients have many cardiovascular complications, including sudden cardiac death. Peritoneal dialysis puts dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease at increased risk of CVD complications and emergency hospitalization. The current standard of care in this population is based on observational data, which has a high potential for bias due to the paucity of dedicated randomized clinical trials. Furthermore, guidelines lack specific guidelines for these patients, often inferring them from non-dialysis patient trials. A crucial step in the prevention and treatment of CVD would be to gain better knowledge of the influence of these predisposing risk factors. This review highlights the current evidence regarding the influence of advanced chronic disease on the cardiovascular system in patients undergoing renal dialysis.

Coronary microcirculation and left ventricular diastolic function but not myocardial deformation indices are impaired early in patients with chronic kidney disease

AIM

To investigate abnormalities in myocardial strain and classic echocardiographic indices and coronary flow reserve (CFR), in younger versus older CKD patients.

METHODS

Sixty consecutive CKD patients (<60 years old n = 30, ≥60 years old n = 30) and 30 healthy controls (age- and gender-matched with younger CKD patients) were recruited. An echocardiographic assessment including myocardial strain indices (i.e. global longitudinal strain -GLS -, TWIST, UNTWIST rate) was performed at baseline and following dipyridamole administration in all participants.

RESULTS

Younger CKD patients had higher E/e', left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness and lower E' (p < .005 for all) compared to healthy controls. Older CKD patients had lower E/A and E' (p < .05 for both) compared to younger CKD patients; these differences did not remain significant after adjustment for age. CFR was higher in healthy controls compared to younger and older CKD patients (p < .05 for both) without a significant difference between CKD groups. There were no significant differences in GLS, TWIST or UNTWIST values among the three groups of patients. Dipyridamole-induced changes did not differ significantly among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to healthy controls, impaired coronary microcirculation and left ventricular diastolic function, but not myocardial strain abnormalities, are found in young CKD patients and deteriorate with aging.

Valvular Heart Disease in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Valvular heart disease (VHD) is highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) from the early stages to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Aortic and mitral valves are the most frequently affected, leading to aortic valve and/or mitral annular calcification, which, in turn, causes either valve stenosis or regurgitation at an accelerated rate compared with the general population. Tricuspid regurgitation is also prevalent in CKD and ESRD, and haemodialysis patients are at an increasingly high risk of infective endocarditis. As for pathophysiology, several mechanisms causing VHD in CKD have been proposed, highlighting the complexity of the process. Echocardiography constitutes the gold standard for the assessment of VHD in CKD/ESRD patients, despite the progress of other imaging modalities. With regard to treatment, the existing 2017 European Society of Cardiology/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery guidelines on the management of VHD addressing patients with normal kidney function are also applied to patients with CKD/ESRD.

Left atrial strain: A novel "biomarker" for chronic kidney disease patients?

Cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease are frequently inter-connected and this association leads to an exponential growth of cardiovascular risk. This risk is currently underestimated by the existing algorithms and there is a constant need for new markers to predict adverse outcomes in this special population. In general population left atrial strain has emerged as an important tool for both the diagnosis and prognostic stratification, but data regarding its role in chronic kidney disease patients is scarce. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current evidence regarding this matter. Left atrial size and function mirror the duration and severity of increased left ventricular filling pressures. Increased left atrial volume index and impaired left atrial strain parameters are independent predictors for adverse cardiovascular events. Left atrial strain is impaired before changes in volume appear, thus being able to predict both diastolic and systolic function in chronic kidney disease patients. Finally, left atrial strain can identify renal patients with impaired exercise capacity and this could have clinical applications in the rehabilitation of this patients.

CHA2DS2-VASc Score as a Predictor of Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

INTRODUCTION

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a risk factor for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Recognition of high-risk patients is important and could lead to a different approach and better treatment. The CHA2DS2-VASc score was originally used to predict cerebral infarction in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but it is also a useful predictor of outcome in other cardiovascular conditions, independent of AF. Therefore, the aim of our research was to assess the role of CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in CKD patients.

METHODS

Stable nondialysis CKD patients were included. At the time of inclusion, medical history data and standard blood results were collected and CHA2DS2-VASc score was calculated. Patients were followed till the same end date, until kidney transplantation or until their death.

RESULTS

Eighty-seven CKD patients were included (60.3 ± 12.8 years, 66% male). Mean follow-up time was 1,696.5 ± 564.6 days. During the follow-up, 21 patients died and 11 because of cardiovascular reasons. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that CHA2DS2-VASc score is a significant predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, in which CHA2DS2-VASc score, serum creatinine, urinary albumin/creatinine, hemoglobin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and intact parathyroid hormone were included, CHA2DS2-VASc score was an independent predictor of cardiovascular (HR: 2.04, CI: 1.20-3.45, p = 0.008) and all-cause mortality (HR: 2.06, CI: 1.43-2.97, p = 0.001). The same was true after adding total cholesterol, triglycerides, and smoking status to both the analyses.

CONCLUSION

The CHA2DS2-VASc score is a simple, practical, and quick way to identify the risk for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in CKD patients.

Clinical Characteristics of Hypertensive Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome Developing Different Types of Left Ventricular Geometry

Objective

The objective of the study was to compare polygraphic parameters and selected laboratory parameters in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) who develop various types of left ventricular (LV) geometry. Material and Methods. The research covered 122 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea and coexisting effectively treated systemic hypertension (95 men, 27 women, average age: 54 ± 10.63). Overnight polygraphy, echocardiography, carotid artery ultrasonography, and laboratory measurements were performed. The patients were classified into four groups, depending on LV geometry. Group 1 comprised patients with normal LV geometry, group 2 included those with LV concentric remodelling. Group 3 and group 4 were patients with LV hypertrophy, concentric or eccentric, respectively.

Results

The most frequent type of LV geometry in the examined population was eccentric hypertrophy (36%). The highest average values of BMI and T-Ch were observed in the group of patients with concentric remodelling (group 2). The most severe respiratory disorders were found in the group of patients developing LV concentric hypertrophy (group 3); however, these differences were not statistically significant in comparison to other groups. Patients with LV eccentric hypertrophy had significantly decreased LV ejection fraction (p = 0.0008).

Conclusions

LV eccentric hypertrophy is the most frequent type of LV geometry in OSA patients. Patients with severe sleep-disordered breathing are more likely to develop concentric hypertrophy, while concentric remodelling occurs more frequently among OSA patients with other coexisting conditions, such as obesity or lipid-related disorders.

Renal function as a predictor of outcomes in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A cohort study of a hospitalized population

BACKGROUND

The relationship between renal function and outcomes among patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains undefined. We sought to investigate the prevalence of renal dysfunction and its prognostic value in HCM patients.

METHODS

A total of 581 patients with HCM were consecutively recruited. The chronic kidney disease epidemiology equation was used to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Patients were divided into 2 eGFR categories: ≥60 or <60 ml/min/1.73 m². The predictive value of renal function was assessed using Cox regression.

RESULTS

The proportions of eGFR 60-90 ml/min/1.73 m² and <60 ml/min/1.73 m² were 41.8% and 15.3%, respectively. Estimated GFR independently predicted the risk of all-cause mortality [HR 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96-0.99, P < 0.001]. Compared to those with eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m², patients with eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m² were independently associated with all-cause mortality (HR, 3.42 95% CI 1.86-6.28), cardiovascular mortality (HR 2.98, 95% CI 1.36-6.50) and combined adverse outcomes (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.02-2.49). HRs for all-cause mortality with renal dysfunction were attenuated in patients with older ages (P for interaction = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

Renal dysfunction is a common comorbidity in HCM. Renal function is an independent predictor of outcomes in patients with HCM. These findings highlight the clinical importance of renal dysfunction in HCM.

Assessment of left ventricular energy loss using vector flow mapping in patients with stages 1-3 chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience abnormality of intracardiac blood flow status during early-stages of disease. Left ventricular energy loss (EL) derived from vector flow mapping (VFM) represents fluid energy lost as heat in left ventricle and had been used to detect intracardiac blood flow efficiency. We aimed to evaluate the left ventricular EL in stage 1-3 CKD patients, and explored whether hypertension, a main cardiovascular risk, deteriorate the abnormality of intracardiac blood flow status.

METHODS

Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 41 controls and 48 patients with stages 1-3 CKD. CKD patients consisted a subgroup with no hypertension, a subgroup with well-controlled hypertension and a subgroup with poorly controlled hypertension. The EL were calculated in the left ventricle using VFM analysis from the apical 3-chamber view. Furthermore, the correlation and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to explore the potential independent predictors of left ventricular EL.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, stage 1-3 CKD patients showed increased left ventricular EL during total diastole, late diastole, total systole, isovolumic contraction and ejection. CKD patients with poorly controlled hypertension had higher left ventricular EL compared to the other CKD subgroups. Additionally, the ratio of mitral early filling wave peak velocity and early mitral annular peak velocity on septal side, mitral early filling wave peak velocity, and left ventricular mass index were independent predictors of the diastolic EL; whereas systolic blood pressure and left ventricular mass index were independent predictors of the systolic EL.

CONCLUSIONS

Left ventricular EL was a useful echocardiographic parameter to evaluate the impaired intracardiac blood flow efficiency in patients with stages 1-3 CKD. Hypertension was a crucial contributor for intracardiac blood flow abnormality. This study might provide valuable clinical data to discern cardiac dysfunction and reduce the cardiovascular risk in early-stage CKD.