title: Prevalence of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Older Renal Transplant Recipients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a risk factor for premature cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease. The aim of the study was to determine echocardiographic evaluation morphology and function of the left ventricle in older renal transplantation patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of renal transplant recipients who underwent routine echocardiography. We compared the data from 38 patients who were older than 65 years with 49 patients who were a mean age of 47.8 ± 12 years (control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the time of cardiac evaluation, most patients were in stage 3 chronic kidney disease. In the older group of patients, the incidence of obesity and diabetes were significantly higher than in the control group. Also in the older patients, the serum level of albumin was lower (P < .001), and brain natriuretic peptide was higher (P = .046). The incidence of coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, and atrial fibrillation were higher in the older patients (P = .011). LVH was common in older as well as younger patients (97.4% vs. 88.8%, P = .17). Left ventricle mass index ranged from 90.4 g/m(2) to 235.5 g/m(2) among examined kidney transplantation patients. In older patients, left ventricular mass index was 160.7 ± 34.5 g/m(2) compared to 141.8 ± 29.8 g/m(2) in younger patients (P = .008). Reduced ejection fraction was found only in 2 of 38 (5.3%) older patients. Diastolic dysfunction of left ventricle was present in 34 of 38 (89.5%) patients >65 years old and in 24 of 49 (49.9%) younger patients (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LVH and left ventricular dysfunction are more pronounced among older patients. Impaired renal function, proteinuria, diabetes, and severity of hypertension are the most important factors predisposing to LVH.
authors: Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland. Electronic address: letach@poczta.onet.pl.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Letachowicz
authors: Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Boratyńska
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Obremska
authors: Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Kamińska
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Goździk
authors: Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Mazanowska
authors: Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Klinger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology