DOPPLER-ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN END-STAGE REN AL-DISEASE - EFFECT OF HEMODIALYSIS

Hemodialysis can achieve loss of body water, variable in the different water compartments, and that depends on the dry weight and the compos ition of the dialysate. We have studied echocardio-Doppler findings in 26 end stage renal disease patients (from 26 to 84 years), in whom 25 have hypertension, in sinusal rythm and ejection fraction above 55%. When they achieved a 3,52% decrease in body weight, without modificati on of heart rate and decrease in median arterial pression, these patie nts exhibited decrease in auricular (p = 0.001) and ventricular diamet er both in systole and diastole (p = 0.001), in maximum velocity of E wave (p = 0,001) and E/A ratio. There was no significant reduction of maximum velocity of A wave, but 4 differents patterns of E/A ratio wer e demonstrated. The main determinant factor of these patterns was foun d to be the age of the patient.