Effect of diabetes mellitus on markers of left ventricular dysfunction in chronic kidney disease

To identify markers of left ventricular dysfunction in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the effects of diabetes mellitus on them.

This was a cross sectional study of 200 consecutive chronic kidney disease patients (stage III-V). Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular function including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left atrial volume, grade of diastolic dysfunction, E/E', left and right ventricular myocardial performance indices (LVMPI, RVMPI) were compared between diabetic and non-diabetic CKD.

LVMI significantly increased with increasing stage of CKD (p < 0.001) in both diabetics (158.82 ± 48.76 gm/m² in stage III to 201.06 ± 63.62 gm/m² in stage V) and non-diabetics (133.14 ± 43.06 gm/m² stage III to 196.24 ± 58.75 gm/m² in stage V). This was significantly higher among diabetics of similar CKD stage compared to non-diabetics (p = 0.001). The LVEF worsened with increasing stage of CKD (p = 0.002) and was significantly reduced in diabetic patients (LVEF 61.96 ± 8.48 % in stage III CKD to 51.62 ± 13.45 % in stage V CKD) (p < 0.001). Diastolic dysfunction (Grades ≥2) and LA volume increased significantly with stage of CKD (p < 0.001) and was higher among diabetics (p = 0.048). Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) increased with increasing stage of CKD (p < 0.001), and was higher among diabetics (p = 0.035). E/E' worsened significantly with increasing stage of CKD and was also significantly higher in diabetics (p < 0.001). LVMPI (p < 0.001) and RVMPI (p < 0.001) were significantly reduced with worsening stage of CKD and in diabetics.

Advancing CKD stage was linearly associated with progressive left ventricular dysfunction which was significantly greater in diabetics.