Predictors of congestive heart failure in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Predictors of congestive heart failure (CHF) events in patients on HD were investigated, focusing on left ventricular (LV) function. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred consecutive patients on HD were followed for at least 5 years after index examination performed 1 day after the last HD session. Tests included M-mode and Doppler echocardiography and plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration measurements. Patients with atrial fibrillation or poor echocardiographic images were excluded. Confounding factors included diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, age, HD duration, LV fractional shortening, E/A of transmitral flow velocity pattern, Tei index, LV mass index (LVMI), BNP level, Hb, and use of antihypertensive or antiarrhythmic drugs. Six CHF events occurred during 1,703+/-565 days. DM and Hb <10 g/dl were identified as independent predictors of CHF events in a stepwise Cox regression model after DM, LVMI, BNP, and Hb <10 g/dl were selected in the univariate analysis. The hazard ratio (confidence interval) was 10.96 (1.49-80.44) for DM, and 23.00 (2.41-219.76) for Hb <10 g/dl. The estimated hazard across time was constant (T_COV*DM; p=0.726, T_COV*Hb <10 g/dl; p=0.681) by time-dependent covariates analysis. CONCLUSION: In patients on maintenance HD, DM and anemia (Hb <10 g/dl), but not echo-derived cardiac function, predicted CHF events.

Relationship between Doppler transmitral flow velocity pattern and plasma atrial and brain natriuretic peptide concentrations in anuric patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Plasma atrial (ANP) and brain (BNP) natriuretic peptide levels were compared to determine if transmitral flow velocity pattern is an instantaneous marker of body fluid balance in anuric patients on hemodialysis (HD). We measured plasma ANP and BNP levels and performed Doppler echocardiography in 38 anuric patients before and after HD. Patients with valvular disease, left ventricular systolic dysfunction having a fractional shortening < 0.3, arrhythmia, or left ventricular hypertrophy were excluded. The relationships between plasma ANP or BNP levels and the transmitral flow velocity pattern were evaluated. We also determined if the magnitude of the decrease in plasma ANP level was related to that in the early peak of transmitral flow velocity (peak E). The mean age of the subjects was 61.1 +/- 9.7 years. The ANP level of 213.6 +/- 146.1 pg/mL was related to peak E of 61 +/- 15 cm/s before HD (R = 0.504, P < 0.001), but not after HD. Plasma ANP level was not related to peak late transmitral flow velocity (peak A) or peak E/peak A before or after HD. BNP level was not related to the transmitral flow velocity pattern. The magnitude of decrease in hANP level during HD was significantly related to that in peak E (R = 0.342, P < 0.05). Before HD, peak E was related to the plasma ANP level, reflecting volume overload. Change in peak E showed a weak relationship with that of plasma ANP level in the same HD patient. The measurement of peak E during a HD session may potentially enable the assessment of hydration status during HD.