Echocardiographic anomalies in a chronic hemodialysis population in the center of Senegal

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine echocardiographic anomalies in chronic hemodialysis patients and to identify factors associated with their occurrence. Patients and methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study carried out in the nephrology and hemodialysis department of the Heinrich Lübke regional hospital in Diourbel from September 1 to October 18, 2023. Echocardiographic data as well as other sociodemographic data, history, dialysis parameters and biological results were collected. Results: Thirty-three patients (20 women, mean age 49.64 ± 12.62 years) were included, with a mean duration of hemodialysis of 37.8 ± 29.3 months. Echocardiographic anomalies were dominated by left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in 90.9 % of patients and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in 66.7 %. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was noted in 60.6 % of patients, and valvular calcifications in 45.5 %. Kinetic disturbances (12.1 %) and systolic dysfunction (9.1 %) were the least common anomalies. Phosphatemia (p = 0.04) and phosphocalcium product (p = 0.04) were significantly higher in patients with valvular calcifications. Diameters of the inferior vena cava (p < 0.001) left atrium (p < 0.03), tele diastolic (p < 0.03) and tele systolic left ventricle (p < 0.003) were significantly higher in patients with PAH. Conclusion: Echocardiographic anomalies are frequent and may be a source of morbimortality in chronic hemodialysis patients. It is therefore essential to screen these patients regularly for echocardiographic anomalies.