Echocardiographic Findings in Hemodialysis Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Objective: To find out the echo abnormalities in a south Asian cohort on maintenance hemodialysis in a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Abbottabad, from Feb 2022 to Apr 2022. Methodology: 57 adult patients on maintenance hemodialysis had a non-contrast transthoracic echocardiographic study recording parameters of left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic function. Results: We had 57 patients. 71.9% (n=41) were male, and females 28.1% (n=16), diabetics 47.4 % (n=27), hypertensives 84.2%(n=48), smoking 28.1% (n=16); 15.8%(n=9) had some form of ischemic heart disease. Left ventricular hypertrophy was noted in 78.9% (n=45) of the entire patient population. 84% (n=48) of hypertensive patients had LVH. Overall, 82% (n=47) of hypertensive patients had some degree of diastolic dysfunction compared to non-hypertensive patients (p<0.0001). Diastolic dysfunction of Grades I, II, III was seen in 35.1%(n=20), 29.8%(n=17), 17.5% (n=10). Mean E/e' ratio was 24.9±15, with 40.3%(n=23) having a value ≥15. The LV systolic dysfunction noted was: Mild 26.3%(n=15), Moderate 19.3%(n=11), Severe 1.8%(n=1). For the medial mitral annular systolic velocity(s’) 19.3%(n=11) had normal s’, while 80.7%(n=46) had reduced s’.The mean Pulmonary artery acceleration time (PA-AT) was was <100 ms in 68.4%(n=39). The mean tricuspid plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was < 17 mm in 19.3%(n=11) of patients indicating RV systolic dysfunction. The Minimum PASP was 16, max 64, mean 41.5±14mm Hg. Conclusion: In our study of CKD patients on regular hemodialysis, we found high rates of LVH, DD, LV systolic dysfunction,RV systolic function, and pulmonary hypertension. This creates a case for a larger scale study of these patients in a south Asian cohort as well as institution of a screening program in CKD patients on hemodialysis.