The Heart in Acute Glomerulonephritis: An Echocardiographic Study

ABSTRACT

Patients with acute glomerulonephritis often are seen with signs suggesting heart failure. Whether these signs are due to fluid overload secondary to kidney damage only, or whether there is associated myocardial damage has not been elucidated. Twenty-two children with acute glomerulonephritis were studied by echocardiography during edematous phase of disease. Left ventricular function was normal in all childrem. The most consistent finding was enlargement of left atrium and left ventricle during the edematous phase. There was no correlation between blood pressure and the echocardiographic findings. This study suggest that signs of heart failure in acute glomerulonephritis are not due to myocardial damage but probably reflect fluid overload.