Left ventricular hypertrophy in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Cardiovascular complications are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). To understand this relationship, known cardiovascular risk factors were examined in ADPKD. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a known, important risk factor for premature cardiovascular death in patients with essential hypertension. Hypertension is known to occur frequently and early in ADPKD patients. The frequency of LVH in ADPKD patients and its relation with hypertension and other risk factors, however, is not known. In this study, echocardiographic tests were performed in 116 consecutive adult ADPKD patients and 77 healthy control subjects. There was a significantly higher frequency of LVH in ADPKD men (46 versus 20%, P < 0.05) and women (37 versus 12%, P < 0.005) compared with control subjects. LVH in ADPKD patients was associated with higher systolic and diastolic arterial BP. There also was an association between LVH, diminished renal function, and increased renal volume. When comparing ADPKD patients with and without LVH, the former were older, weighed more, had a higher prevalence of hypertension, and had a lower hematocrit value and more renal impairment. LVH was also present in 23% of normotensive ADPKD patients and 16% of healthy control subjects (P = NS), but did not correlate with BP. The role of BP as a contributing factor to LVH in ADPKD patients may be due in part to earlier onset and inadequate treatment.

Atrial volume in cirrhosis: relationship to blood volume and plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic factor.

Increased blood volume, atrial size, and plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic factor are described in cirrhosis. Their interrelationships were examined in 17 men with alcoholic liver disease, 7 with and 10 without ascites. Atrial size was determined by two-dimensional echocardiography. Patients with cirrhosis had significantly increased left atrial volume and plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic factor when compared with normal male subjects. Right atrial volume was normal in patients with cirrhosis, as was left ventricular function. Patients with ascites had significantly increased blood volume and plasma atrial natriuretic factor concentration compared with patients without ascites. Left and right atrial volume did not differ between the groups. Blood volume correlated significantly with left atrial volume, which correlated significantly with plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic factor. Cirrhosis is associated with related increases in vascular volume, left atrial size, and plasma atrial natriuretic factor concentration. Increased blood volume probably contributes to the increase in left atrial volume, which is in turn one reason for the elevation of plasma atrial natriuretic factor concentration.