title: Incidence of arrhythmias and myocardial ischaemia during haemodialysis and haemofiltration.
abstract: Thirty-two patients (10 male, 22 female; age 37-82 years) undergoing maintenance haemodialysis or haemofiltration were studied by means of Holter device capable of simultaneously analysing rhythm and ST-changes in three leads. Twenty-five patients were on haemodialysis, seven on haemofiltration, mean duration of haemodialysis/haemofiltration being 3.4 +/- 3 years. Incidence of ventricular tachycardia was low, being detected only in 1 of 32 patients. Ventricular premature beats in excess of 10/h during a period of 2 h were found in 8 of 32 patients and 100 supraventricular premature beats for 2 h or more in 4 of 32 patients. Both ventricular premature beats and supraventricular premature beats were most frequently recorded during the last hour of haemodialysis/haemofiltration. ECG signs of ischaemia were detected in eight patients, four of whom were asymptomatic. Ischaemia also occurred predominantly during the last hour of haemodialysis/haemofiltration. Two symptomatic patients displayed neither arrhythmias nor ST-changes while being monitored. The study shows that silent ischaemia and arrhythmias in patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis/haemofiltration may not be infrequent. Recognition of these events could be of importance in the management of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zuber
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steinmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huser
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brunner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006440:Hemofiltration / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*