Title:Evaluation of Endothelial (dys)Function, Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
Author(s): Piotr Bartnicki, Mariusz Kowalczyk, Beata Franczyk-Skóra, Zbigniew Baj and Jacek Rysz
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Chronic kidney disease, endothelial dysfunction, left ventricular structure, left ventricular function, asymmetric
dimethylarginine, haemodialysis.
Abstract: Background: Endothelial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and
cardiovascular complications in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Asymmetric dimethylarginine
(ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), is considered as a
marker of endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum ADMA, eNOS concentration
and left ventricular structure and function in CKD patients and to assess the impact of the
type of dialyzer on serum ADMA and eNOS concentrations after a haemodialysis (HD) session.
Material and Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from 35 predialysis CKD patients, 40 CKD patients on HD and 15
healthy subjects. Patients on HD were divided into two groups according to the dialyzer used based on polynephron or
cellulose membranes. Plasma ADMA and eNOS concentrations were assessed. All subjects underwent echocardiography
and were evaluated for selected biochemical parameters.
Results: We found significantly higher serum ADMA (p<0.05) and significantly lower eNOS (p<0.05) concentration in
CKD patients compared with healthy subjects. Both dialyzers significantly reduced serum ADMA concentration (p<0.05)
but none of the analysed dialyzers showed superiority when comparing the results. We showed that stage V CKD patients,
who had the highest serum ADMA concentration had the lowest left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and the highest
left ventricle mass (LVM) and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDd).
Conclusions: Our results supports the presence of endothelial dysfunction in CKD patients. Correlation between elevated
serum AMDA concentration and disadvantageous changes in left ventricular structure and function may indicate an important
role of endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular complications in CKD patients.
