Study of Respiratory Variations of Mitral Valve Diastolic Flow in Hemodialysis Patients.

The respiratory variations in mitral valve (MV) Doppler flow in hemodialysis (HD) patients have not been investigated and the normal echocardiographic value is used as a reference for HD patients. The present study evaluated the respiratory variation in MV Doppler flow in HD patients to determine if it has a unique pattern. In this prospective cohort study, echocardiography was performed before and 6 h after dialysis. The transmitral spectral Doppler E wave was measured during inspiratory and expiratory phases. The percent changes in the E wave were calculated pre- and post-dialysis. The means of the percent variation in the MV inspiratory and expiratory E wave pre- and post-dialysis were 56 ± 7% and 44 ± 1.1%, respectively, with a significant reduction after dialysis (P = .000). There was a significant positive correlation between post-dialysis ∆E wave % change and post-dialysis % change in weight (r = .318; P = .000). The respiratory changes in the MV E wave in HD patients were higher than the normal reference values. This marked variation could be explained by fluid overloading in HD patients.