Left ventricular diastolic function in a predialysis patient population.

BACKGROUND

Diastolic dysfunction is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) accounting for 40%-66% of cardiovascular complications.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in adult Nigerians with CKD at presentation and to compare findings with those of hypertensive patients with normal renal function.

METHODS

Eighty-six consecutive patients with CKD were studied, comprising 43 hypertensives and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects as controls. Clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic variables were measured.

RESULTS

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was present in 62.8% of CKD patients, 79.1% of hypertensive patients and 25.6% of normal controls (p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between left ventricular diastolic function (LVDF) and systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), severity of SBP, severity of DBP in CKD patients but not in hypertensive patients. There was a negative correlation between LVDF and age in CKD patients and hypertensive patients. Linear multiple regression analysis showed age as the only predictor of LVDD.

CONCLUSION

There is a high prevalence of diastolic dysfunction in CKD patients at first presentation to a nephrologist in Nigeria.