title: Cardiac sympathetic dysfunction in haemodialysed patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiac sympathetic nervous system function in haemodialysed(HD), non-diabetic patients by iodine-123 meta-iodo-benzylguanidine(123I-mIBG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Planar scintigraphy of the chest was performed in 36 HD, male patients; 15 minutes and 4 hours post injection of 370 MBq of 123I-mIBG. The semi quantitative analysis of myocardial tracer uptake was expressed as routine heart to mediastinum (H/M) ratio: 15 minutes (early H/M) and 4 hour (late H/M) post administration as well as washout of the tracer from myocardium (WR). 24-hour Holter studies were recorded and heart rate variability (HRV) was evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups according to the H/M value: group A patients with H/M > 1.8 which has been accepted as a norm,and group B patients with H/M < 1.8.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 21/36 patients H/M ratio was below normal values.Significant differences between groups A and B were found among the following parameters: early H/M and late H/M ratios,WR and duration of haemodialysis therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with abnormal function of cardiac sympathetic nervous system, expressed by means of H/M ratio below 1.8, duration of haemodialysis treatment was longer.Duration of HD appears to be an important factor influencing cardiac sympathetic nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Lublin ul. Jaczewskiego 8, 20–954 Lublin, Poland. beata.chrapko@wp.pl
authors.forename: Beata E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Chrapko
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Staśkiewicz
authors.forename: Iwona J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Baranowicz-Gąszczyk
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Książek
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine