Left ventricular myocardial deformation in patients on maintenance haemodialysis

Hardeep Kaur Grewal1, Manish Jain2, Rakesh Bhat2

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Medanta - The Medicity, Gurgaon, India.

Acta Cardiologica
|November 15, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Patients with chronic kidney disease on maintenance hemodialysis show impaired left ventricular function, specifically in longitudinal and circumferential mechanics, even with normal ejection fraction. Further research is needed to understand the implications of these changes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Nephrology
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) often develop left ventricular (LV) abnormalities.
  • Speckle-tracking echocardiography is crucial for assessing LV myocardial deformation.
  • Previous research highlighted reduced LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) in CKD patients, but other LV deformation components remain less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively evaluate LV myocardial deformation in CKD patients undergoing MHD using speckle-tracking echocardiography.
  • To compare LV deformation parameters between CKD patients on MHD and healthy controls.
  • To elucidate the full spectrum of LV mechanical abnormalities in CKD patients on MHD.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 90 CKD patients on MHD was compared with 45 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.
  • Speckle-tracking echocardiography was employed to assess various components of LV myocardial deformation.
  • Key parameters analyzed included LV global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain, LV apical rotation, and LV twist.

Main Results:

  • CKD patients exhibited a high prevalence of LV hypertrophy (77.8%) and diastolic dysfunction.
  • Despite similar LV ejection fraction (LVEF) between groups, CKD patients showed significantly impaired LV GLS, global circumferential strain, LV apical rotation, and LV twist.
  • No significant difference was observed in global radial strain between CKD patients and controls.

Conclusions:

  • CKD patients on MHD demonstrate significantly impaired LV longitudinal and circumferential mechanics, even when LVEF is preserved.
  • The prognostic significance of reduced LVGLS is established; further studies should investigate the prognostic value and potential reversibility of abnormal LV circumferential mechanics post-renal transplant.
Abstract