Background: Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for cardiovascular complications among patients on hemodialysis. However, the incidence of these complications among non diabetic patients on hemodialysis is not well known.
Aim: To assess the incidence of cardiovascular complications in non diabetic patients on hemodialysis.
Patients and methods: Seventy five non diabetic patients aged 55.6 +/- 17 years (48 males), receiving hemodialysis three times a week were evaluated with laboratory tests, echocardiogram anda carotid ultrasound. In 26 patients, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and intercellular adhesión molecule (ICAM-1) were also measured. Patients were followed during two years.
Results: The mean lapse of dialysis therapy was 6.5 +/-5 years. The main cause of renal failure was hypertension. Sixty two percent had systolic hypertension, 86% had concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, 43% had atrial dilatation and 60% had calcifications in the thoracic aorta. Compared with normal controls, patients had higher levels of interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha and ICAM-1. Carotid media thickness was also higher and increased in the two years of follow up. No correlations were found between ventricular hypertrophy and dialysis lapse, packed red cell volume, calcium phosphorus product, parathormone levels or median arterial pressure. No cardiovascular events were recorded during the follow up period.
Conclusions: Non diabetic patients on chronic hemodialysis have a high frequency of ventricular hypertrophy, carotid media thickening, aortic calcifications and an increase in proinflammatory cytokines.