[Would ultrasonography contribute to the early detection of clinically silent dialysis access stenoses?].
BACKGROUND
Stenoses are leading factors limiting dialysis vascular access patency. Both physical and haemodynamic examinations are used in stenoses screening. To estimate potential advantage of ultrasonography as a screening measure, we calculated both sensitivity and specificity of clinical (nephrological) diagnoses of access stenoses compared with ultrasound.


RESULTS
268 examinations of 193 subjects were included into this comparison. Linear-array 7.5 MHz ultrasound probe were used for whole-length access examination. Sensitivity of clinical examination was 35.8%, specificity 92.8%. Sensitivity did not differ significantly according to the stenosis localization.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasound use in dialysis access screening would considerably increase the number of stenoses diagnosed in-time. On the contrary, clinical suspicion on access stenosis is highly specific, therefore it is not indispensable to confirm it by ultrasound.
Malík
J
J
III. interní klinika 1. LF UK a VFN, Praha.
Slavíková
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014654:Vascular Patency