Echocardiographic patterns in infants and children with chronic renal failure

Sixty-five echocardiograms were performed on 20 children with chronic renal failure and were compared with 101 normal controls. The main cardiac abnormalities were dilation of left ventricle and left atrium, left ventricular wall and septum hypertrophy, increase of cardiac output, and rarely decrease of contractility. Anemia, arteriovenous fistula, arterial hypertension and severe renal failure (patients treated by maintenance dialysis) were factors associated with these abnormalities. The authors emphasize the value of echocardiograms in the follow up of children with chronic renal failure.