Cardiovascular disease in early kidney transplantation: comparison between living and deceased donor recipients.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is extremely high among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), particularly in the first months after transplantation. Few data are available comparing the cardiovascular profile between KTRs from living versus deceased donors. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of CVD in the first 2 months following transplantation, among 120 KTRs of living versus deceased donor organs. RESULTS: Left ventricular hypertrophy was observed in 65% of patients, coronary artery calcification in 30%, and cardiac arrhythmias in 46%. CVD was more prevalent among KTRs from deceased versus living donors: ventricular hypertrophy 87% versus 59% (P = .008); coronary artery calcification 42% versus 24% (P = .04); and cardiac arrhythmias 59% versus 39% (P = .06). Multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and dialysis vintage, showed graft donor to not be associated with the prevalence of any CVD (ß coefficient 0.912, 95% confidence interval 0.276-3.012, P = .88). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study demonstrated an elevated prevalence of CVD among KTRs. Patient characteristics, mainly longer length on dialysis seemed to contribute to a greater prevalence of cardiovascular complications among KTRs from deceased compared with living donors on univariate but not multivariate analysis.

Hemodialysis versus continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: effects on the heart.

In this study we compared the influence of 2 different modalities of treatment, CAPD and hemodialysis, on the prevalence and severity of left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac arrhythmias of chronic renal failure patients. We compared 27 patients on the CAPD program with 27 patients on the chronic hemodialysis matched for sex, age, and duration of dialysis treatment. The prevalence of hypertension was significantly lower in CAPD than in hemodialysis patient (41% vs. 81%, p = 0.0023). Blood pressure levels were also lower in CAPD than in hemodialysis patients (systolic pressure 124.9 +/- 4.7 vs. 154.8 +/- 4.6 mm Hg, p < 0.0001; diastolic pressure 77.5 +/- 2.9 vs. 93.3 +/- 2.8 mm Hg, p = 0.0001). Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was present in 52% of CAPD and in 93% of hemodialysis patients (p = 0.0008). Severe cardiac arrhythmias (Lown 3-4) occurred in only 4% of CAPD and in 33% of the hemodialysis group (p = 0.0149). The lower frequency of LVH in CAPD might explain the lower incidence of severe arrhythmias.

Left ventricular hypertrophy as a risk factor for arrhythmias in hemodialysis patients.

The contribution of left ventricular hypertrophy in determining ventricular arrhythmias (VAS) was studied in 81 chronic renal failure patients in chronic hemodialysis using two-dimensional echocardiographic and electrocardiogram Holter monitoring. The prevalence of LVH was 93% (96% in hypertensive and 87% in normotensive patients). The prevalence of VA was 48%. These arrhythmias were associated with increased cardiac mass, lack of potassium supplementation to the hemodialysis bath, and low K+ and PaO2 during dialysis. Severe forms of VA occurred in 19 of 78 patients, and the risk factors for this occurrence were (a) largely increased cardiac mass indices (exceeding in more than 40% the upper limit of normal for each sex) and (b) prolonged periods of time in hemodialysis treatment (34 +/- 5.5 vs. 17 +/- 2.7 months, p less than 0.05). Changes in potassium or oxygen content of the blood were not significantly associated with the occurrence of severe forms of VA.

Dipyridamole-thallium tests are predictive of severe cardiac arrhythmias in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.

In a population of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and a high prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) undergoing chronic hemodialysis, we investigated the association between the results of dipyridamole-thallium tests (DTTs) and the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias. We observed a positive significant association between positive DTTs and the occurrence of severe forms of ventricular arrhythmias. A significant association was also observed between the presence of severe LVH and the occurrence of severe ventricular arrhythmias. However, no association was found between the presence of LVH and the positivity of the DTT. As most of our patients with positive DTTs had unimpaired coronary circulations, we conclude that positive DTTs, although falsely indicative of impaired myocardial blood supply, does have an important clinical relevance, indicating increased risk of morbidity (and, possibly, mortality) due to ventricular arrhythmias in a population of CRF patients submitted to chronic renal function replacement program.