Budurea C. 1, Budurea Claudia 2, Racasan Simona 1, Lotrean Lucia 4, Patiu I.M. 1, Gherman-Caprioara Mirela 3
1 Nefromed Dialysis Centers, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2 Cardiology Department, Emergency County Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3 Nephrology and Dialysis Clinic, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
4 Hygiene Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in hemodialysis patients. Carotid and cardiac ultrasonographic abnormalities are the rule in these patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the interrelation between these changes and cardiovascular risk factors in our patients. In 54 stable chronic hemodialysis patients current demographic and biochemical parameters were recorded. Ultrasonographic measurement of intima-media thickness, diastolic diameter of common carotid artery, evaluation of carotid atherosclerotic plaques and transthoracic ecocardiography with evaluation of left ventricular mass index and valvular calcifications were performed, and correlated with cardiovascular risk factors. We found a high frequency of ultrasonographic abnormalities. Remarkably, nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors such as malnutrition, anemia and calcium-phosphate imbalance seem more important than traditional risk factors such as age, gender, smoking, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension or obesity for these ultrasonographic changes in hemodialysis patients.