Right Ventricular Function in End-stage Renal Disease Patients
Right Ventricular Function in End-stage Renal Disease Patients
Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a major cause of heart failure and mortality in
 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term
 impacts of different dialysis modalities on RV function assessed by conventional
 echocardiography in ESRD patients with preserved left ventricular function. The study
 included 83 ESRD patients grouped as follows: peritoneal dialysis (PD; n=46) and hemodialysis
 with brachial arterio-venous fistula (HD; n=37). Conventional echocardiography including 2D
 and tissue Doppler imaging was performed in all patients. Echocardiographic parameters were
 compared between groups.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main causes of death in patients undergoing dialysis.
 Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is one of the major predictors of mortality and heart
 failure in this patient group. It has been shown that patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD)
 which is usually carried out via a surgically created arteriovenous fistula (AVF) have an
 increased risk for pulmonary hypertension and poorer right ventricular function compared with
 healthy controls . However, there are few data comparing the patients undergoing HD and
 peritoneal dialysis (PD), in terms of echocardiographic right ventricular function.

 The aim of the present study was to elucidate the impact of both long term PD and HD therapy
 via brachial AVF on RV function in patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) function.

 Patients undergoing dialysis were grouped as follows: 46 patients on PD and 37 patients on HD
 with brachial AVF. All of the study patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography. Left
 and right ventricular parameters were compared between two groups.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  End-stage renal disease patients on a regular dialysis program

 -  Being on dialysis at least 6 months

 -  >18 years old

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Ischemic heart disease

 -  Left ventricular systolic dysfunction with an ejection fraction (EF) of less than 55 %

 -  Valvulopathy

 -  Left bundle branch block

 -  Atrial fibrilation

 -  Previous renal transplantation

 -  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

 -  Interstitial lung diseases

 -  Connective tissue disorders

 -  Chronic thromboembolic disease

 -  Congenital left-to-right shunt

 -  Primary pulmonary hypertension