Cardiac functional and morphologic changes of renal allograft recipients in the early posttransplant period.
After renal transplantation there is a substantial alteration in cardiac morphology and functions. This prospective study was undertaken to observe changes in different cardiac parameters in early months after transplantation.


METHODS
Twenty-two allograft recipients (primary disease glomerulonephritis) were evaluated in the immediate pretransplant period (0 month) and 1 and 3 months after transplantation by clinical and echocardiographic (M mode, 2D) evaluations.


RESULTS
Pretransplant echocardiogram showed left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in 100% subjects, LV dilation in 52%, and systolic dysfunction in 18%. By the third month, significant differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP-161 +/- 16 to 133 +/- 26 mm Hg, P < .002); diastolic BP (DBP-101 +/- 9 to 86 +/- 11 mm Hg, P < .006), and hemoglobin level (Hgb-7.3 +/- 1.6 to 11.2 +/- 3.9 g/dL, P < .006) were evident. Echocardiography showed decreased left atrial diameter (LADd-41 +/- 5 to 35 +/- 3 mm, P < .001); left ventricular internal diameter (LVIDd-54 +/- 6 to 47 +/- 6 mm, P < .02); left ventricular muscle mass index (LVMI-379 +/- 114 to 248 +/- 58 g/m(2), P < .001); and left ventricular end diastolic volume index (LVEDVI-96 +/- 28 to 64 +/- 17 ml/m2, P < .002). Bivariate correlations showed positive associations of mean blood pressure (MBP) and serum creatinine with LVMI, LVEDVI, and negative association of hemoglobin with MBP, serum creatinine, LVMI, and LVEDVI.


CONCLUSIONS
From these observations, we concluded that cardiac morphological parameters start improving in the early posttransplant period. Improvements in renal function, anemia status, and lower blood pressure showed strong associations with these changes.
Iqbal
M M
MM
Department of Nephrology, SSMC&MH, BSM Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. masud_1232001@yahoo.com
Banerjee
S K
SK
Rahman
M H
MH
Rashid
H U
HU
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000601:surgery; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016276:Ventricular Function
D006454:Hemoglobins; D003404:Creatinine