Effects of Renal Transplantation on Echocardiographic Changes: Ejection Fraction and Left Ventricular Mass Index

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in patients on long-term dialysis and cardiac mortality decreases after renal transplantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of successful renal transplantation on cardiac structure and function assessed by echocardiography. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Eighteen adult chronic renal failure patients who were taken renal transplantation in our hospital were included. They were submitted to two echocardiographic evaluations at preoperative time and postoperative time (mean 23months). RESULTS: At the time of transplantation, 18 patients had undergone hemodialysis through a fistula (mean 44months). At postoperative follow up, blood urea nitrogen/creatinine were decreased and mean hemoglobin level was increased. And systolic/diastolic blood pressure were decreased. Left ventricular mass index, left ventricular posterior wall thickness and septal wall thickness were decreased and ejection fraction was increased by echocardiography. Diastolic function did not improve. Hemodialysis duration and preoperative blood urea nitrogen/creatinine level affected ejection fraction change. CONCLUSION: We observed significantly decreased left ventricular mass index, increased ejection fraction after renal transplantation. We found that the patients who had been onlonger hemodialysis and higher preoperative blood urea nitrogen/creatinine level showed marked improvement of ejection fraction buy echocardiography.