Comparative effects of renal transplantation and maintenance dialysis on arterial stiffness and left ventricular mass index.
BACKGROUND
Arterial stiffness and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) are major independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease in healthy and renal population. In this study, we aimed to investigate comparative long-term effects of renal transplantation (RTx) and of hemodialysis (HD) on both arterial stiffness and LVH.


METHODS
Twenty-eight RTx patients, 23 HD patients, and 20 healthy subjects were included in this prospective study. In addition to demographical and laboratory parameters, arterial stiffness [pulse wave velocity (PWV)] and left ventricular mass index (LVMi) were assessed before and one-yr after RTx, and at the baseline and one-yr later in HD patients.


RESULTS
There were no differences in the parameters between HD and RTx patients at baseline. PWV was significantly higher than that of healthy controls. After one yr, PWV had significantly decreased in RTx patients, but was unchanged in HD patients. Changes in PWV were significant when both groups were compared (p < 0.0001). Although LVMi significantly decreased after RTx (p = 0.02), changes were not significant between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Renal transplantation markedly improved arterial stiffness, while it remained elevated in HD patients at the one-yr follow-up. There was no difference between maintenance HD and RTx groups with respect to impact on LVMi in the one-yr follow-up.
Keven
Kenan
K
Department of Nephrology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ibni Sina Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. keven@medicine.ankara.edu.tr
Calayoglu
Reyhan
R
Sengul
Sule
S
Dincer
Irem
I
Kutlay
Sim
S
Erturk
Sehsuvar
S
Erbay
Bulent
B
Nergizoglu
Gokhan
G
D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors