Acute improvement of aortic mechanics following hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure.
BACKGROUND
Evidence suggests that distensibility of the aorta is decreased in patients with end-stage renal failure, while the underlying mechanisms are unclear.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the distensibility of the aorta in patients at the end stage of chronic renal failure before and after hemodialysis (HD).


METHODS
The diameter of the ascending aorta and distensibility were assessed in 48 patients on HD (31 men, 17 women, aged 45+/-14 years) and in 27 normal subjects (17 men, 10 women, aged 44+/-14 years). The diameter of the aorta was evaluated by M-mode in the parasternal long-axis view.


RESULTS
Aortic distensibility was significantly lower in patients on HD before HD (1.9+/-0.7 cm(2) x dyn(-1) x 10(-6)) than in normal control subjects (3.8+/-1.0 cm(2) x dyn(-1) X 10(-6), p< 0.0001). After dialysis, it increased to 2.6+/-1.2 (p < 0.05 compared with baseline, p < 0.001 compared with controls). The change of aortic distensibility correlated with age (R(2) = 0.629 p < 0.001) and ultrafiltration volume (R(2) = 0.168, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Aortic distensibility in patients with end-stage renal disease is significantly lower than in normal subjects, and it is significantly improved after HD.
Soubassi
Lygeri P
LP
Department of Nephrology, Alexandra Hospital, Greece.
Tousoulis
Dimitris
D
Antoniades
Charalambos
C
Lambrou
Spyros
S
Aggeli
Constantina
C
Chaniotis
Dimitris
D
Soubassi
Sofia
S
Pitsavos
Christos
C
Stefanadis
Christodoulos
C
Soubassis
Pavlos
P
Toutouzas
Pavlos
P
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis