[Morphologic course of the left ventricle after renal transplantation. Echocardiographic study]

To characterize and to quantitate the morphologic changes in left ventricle, in renal transplant patients (Pts) treated with cyclosporine, through sequential echocardiographic examinations.

A prospective study of renal transplant patients, between October/88 and May/89, who maintained good function of the renal graft during the follow-up.

Cardiology and Nephrology departments of Santo António Hospital.

20 patients, 13 men and 7 women, mean age of 33 +/- 10, ranging from 20 to 56, constitute the final group of the study. These patients have been receiving dialysis during 3.8 +/- 2.3 years (0.4-8). Seven patients were excluded, five by echocardiographic criteria and another two because of chronic renal graft disfunction (creatinine greater than 2.0 mg%). The echocardiographic examinations were performed during the first week, and 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after renal transplantation. The following measurements were performed: left ventricular end-diastole diameter (LVED), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), posterior wall thickness (PWT) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI). The measurements were obtained in M-mode following the conventional recommendations. Average values of at least 3 cardiac cycles were used. Heart rate, blood pressure, creatinine, hematocrit, body surface area and fistula patency, were determined at the time of each echocardiogram.

The LVED decreased progressively until the third month, from 51.9 +/- 7 mm to 47.8 +/- 6 mm (p less than 0.001), remaining stable thereafter. The baseline value of IVST, 13.6 +/- 5 mm, was similar at the twelfth month, 13.8 +/- 2 mm (ns). The baseline value of PWT, 13.7 +/- 4 mm, decreased gradually since the second month, having reached 12.7 +/- 2 mm at the twelfth month (ns). The LVMI (g/m2) reduced progressively, from 243 +/- 82 to 190 +/- 38 at the end of the study (p less than 0.05. A high incidence of arterial hypertension was detected during the follow-up period; at the twelfth month, 18 patients (90%) were on antihypertensive drug therapy, 11 of which had blood pressure greater than or equal to 160/95 mmHg.

We verified, one year after the renal transplantation, a significant decrease of LVMI, that was mainly determined by the LVED reduction. Left ventricular walls thickness had no significant variation; we think that the high incidence of hypertension during the follow-up period, in part due to the pressure effect of cyclosporine, may have been responsible for this fact.