Pulmonary Hypertension in Dialysis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Italian Study

Abstract

Introduction. Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) is an independent predictor of mortality. The aim of this study was to relate pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) to the cardiovascular status of dialysis patients. Methods. 27 peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 29 haemodialysis (HD) patients ( years, 37 males, dialysis vintage was months) had PAP measured by echocardiography. Clinical and laboratory data of the patients were recorded. Results. PHT ( mmHg) was detected in 22 patients (39%; PAP mmHg) and was diagnosed in 18.5% of PD patients and 58.6% of HD patients (). The group of subjects with PH had higher dialysis vintage ( versus months, ), interdialytic weight gain ( versus Kg, ), lower diastolic blood pressure ( versus mmHg, ) and ejection fraction ( versus %, ) than the patients with normal PAP. PAP was correlated positively with diastolic left ventricular volume (, ) and negatively with ejection fraction (, ). PHT was independently associated with dialysis vintage (OR 1.022, 95% CI 1.002–1.041, ) and diastolic blood pressure (OR 0.861, 95% CI 0.766–0.967, ). Conclusions. PHT is frequent in dialysis patients, it appears to be a late complication of HD treatment, mainly related to cardiac performance and cardiovascular disease history.