title: The reliability and validity of echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular mass index in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: We assessed the reliability and validity of a formula, based on echocardiographically derived parameters, to calculate left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in a group of 15 chronic hemodialysis patients. All patients had M-mode echocardiography before and after a hemodialysis session. Echocardiograms were interpreted by 2 observers blind to each other's measurements. Interobserver reliability for LVMI was high (r = 0.94, p < 0.0007). LVMI decreased in 11 of 15 patients during dialysis and increased in 4. The mean difference in LVMI between pre- and posthemodialysis was 26.2 +/- 15 g/m2 (p < 0.0001). End-diastolic diameter decreased from 53.5 +/- 5.9 to 49.5 +/- 7.5 mm (p = 0.0016). These data indicate that measurement of LVMI is highly reproducible in hemodialysis patients but that it changes significantly over the course of a hemodialysis session. Its use as an outcome measure in clinical trials in hemodialysis patients should be interpreted with caution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Harnett
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Collingwood
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Purchase
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Parfrey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results