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Effect of serum electrolyte and bicarbonate concentration changes during hemodialysis sessions on heart rate

Murat Hayri Sipahioglu1, Ismail Kocyigit, Aydin Unal

  • 1Department of Nephrology, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey.

Journal of Nephrology
|March 3, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Heart rate variability (HRV) is decreased in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. Diabetic patients on HD showed a greater HRV reduction, but electrolyte and bicarbonate changes during HD did not impact HRV.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiology
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Heart rate variability (HRV) is reduced in dialysis patients, a known risk factor for sudden cardiac death.
  • Understanding HRV changes during hemodialysis (HD) is crucial for managing cardiovascular risk in chronic kidney disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of serum electrolyte and bicarbonate level fluctuations on HRV during HD sessions.
  • To compare HRV between chronic HD patients and healthy individuals, and within subgroups of HD patients (diabetic vs. non-diabetic).

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 24-hour ECG recordings to calculate time-domain HRV indexes (SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD, pNN50, HRV TAI).
  • Measurement of pre- and post-HD serum concentrations of electrolytes (Na+, K+, Ca2+, iCa2+) and bicarbonate (HCO3-).
  • Inclusion of 75 chronic HD patients and 35 healthy volunteers in the study cohort.

Main Results:

  • Dialysis patients exhibited significantly lower HRV indexes compared to healthy controls.
  • Diabetic HD patients demonstrated lower SDNN and HRV TAI values than non-diabetic HD patients.
  • Significant changes in serum levels were observed during HD: K+ decreased, while Ca2+ and HCO3- increased.

Conclusions:

  • Chronic HD patients experience a decline in HRV.
  • Diabetic status exacerbates the reduction in HRV among uremic patients undergoing HD.
  • Observed changes in serum electrolytes and bicarbonate concentrations during HD sessions did not significantly influence HRV.
Abstract

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