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Cardiac valve calcifications and left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients

Paweł Strózecki1, Grazyna Odrowaz-Sypniewska, Jacek Manitius

  • 1Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland. st_pawel@cm.umk.pl

Renal Failure
|December 15, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac valve calcification is common in hemodialysis patients and linked to left ventricular hypertrophy. This suggests calcification may be an indicator of cardiac changes in patients undergoing dialysis.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cardiac valve calcification (VC) is prevalent in end-stage renal disease.
  • VC is an independent predictor of mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.
  • In hemodialysis (HD) patients, VC's association with mortality diminishes after adjusting for risk factors and left ventricular mass index (LVMI).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between cardiac valve calcification and left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients.

Main Methods:

  • Echocardiography was used to assess mitral and aortic valves and calculate LVMI in 65 HD patients.
  • Patients were categorized based on the presence and location of valve calcifications.

Main Results:

  • 49% of HD patients exhibited valve calcifications (VC(+)).
  • Patients with VC were older, had longer HD duration, higher blood pressure, and increased LVMI.
  • Patients with calcification in both mitral and aortic valves showed the highest LVMI.
  • Higher incidence of Ca x P product > 4.43 mmol²/L² was observed in VC(+) patients.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiac valve calcification is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients, especially when both mitral and aortic valves are affected.
  • Elevated calcium-x-phosphate product, even transiently, may contribute to cardiac valve calcification in HD patients.

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