Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is an important marker in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) to predict cardiovascular outcomes. We evaluated whether cTnT levels will provide further information about left ventricle geometric pattern in CRF as the result of patient’s volume status and efficacy of hemodialysis.

METHODS

Sixty-one patients who underwent hemodialysis three times a week for more than 3 months (mean 19 months) were included the study. One day before the mid dialysis session, blood samples were taken from the patients in the hemodialysis program and cTnT was studied. All patients underwent echocardiographic examination one day before the second hemodialysis session of the week by the same cardiologist.

RESULTS

When the groups were compared in terms of echocardiographic volume parameters; left atrium diameter, left ventricle (LV) mass, LV mass index were found higher in the cTnT positive group. The eccentric LV hypertrophy pattern was significantly more frequent in the cTnT-positive group (p: 0.04).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

cTnT are increased in hemodialysis patients with eccentric LV hypertrophy as the result of hypervolemia. In conclusion, cTnT could be used as a marker of LV geometric pattern in hemodialysis patients and as a method for planning the treatment modalities.