Assessment of Global Longitudinal Strain in Patients Receiving Renal Replacement Therapy With Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

Patients with chronic kidney disease, including those on renal replacement therapy (RRT), have higher cardiovascular mortality. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) detects subtle changes in the left ventricle (LV) and constitutes a more sensitive predictor of cardiovascular mortality than the LV ejection fraction (LVEF). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of impaired GLS among patients on RRT with preserved LVEF. We also aimed to identify the possible clinical factors responsible for GLS impairment. A total of 108 patients on RRT with preserved LVEF and no history of cardiac disease were evaluated. We assessed echocardiogram parameters with a calculation of GLS, laboratory parameters, presence of diabetes, hypertension, duration of hemodialysis (HD), and the time after kidney transplantation (KTx). An impaired GLS value was set at ≥-18%. The multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors related to impaired GLS. Among 108 patients aged 58.5 ± 13.5 on RRT with preserved LVEF, 45% had GLS ≥-18% (62% on HD, 39% after KTx). The ROC analysis revealed that the cutoff point for the predicted GLS ≥-18% by HD duration was more than 28 months (0.75 [95% CI 0.66-0.84]; P < .001). In multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis, a duration of HD longer than 28 months was associated with GLS ≥-18%. About 45% patients on RRT, despite preserved LVEF and no history of heart diseases, had LV systolic dysfunction defined as GLS ≥-18%. HD longer than 28 months significantly increases the risk of GLS impairment in patients on RRT.