Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Among Predialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: Sindh Institute Of Urology And Transplantation Experience

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent predictor of mortality and its prevention can decrease cardiovascular mortality among predialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, Pakistan, from March 2013 to October 2013 to determine the frequency of LVH and its risk factors in patients with CKD. A total of 135 outpatients with CKD duration longer than three months, were included in this study. All patients underwent laboratory investigations which included serum creatinine, blood counts, serum calcium, phosphate and uric acid, and parathormone. M-mode, two-dimensional echocardiogram in the left decubitus position was performed to document LVH. LVH was labeled when the left ventricular mass index was > 131 g/m(2) in men and > 100 g/m(2) in women on echocardiogram. LVH was found in 76 study patients (56.3%). The frequency of LVH was significantly high in patients with stage-4 CKD and those with duration of CKD above 12 months. Other risk factors included low hemoglobin, high serum calcium and phosphate levels, and decreasing estimated glomerular filtration rate. In conclusion, early detection of LVH and control of risk factors may help to achieve a decrease in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with CKD.