Prevalence and Patterns of Right Ventricle Dysfunction in Patients with End-stage Renal Disease on Maintenance Hemodialysis

Abstract

Introduction: As the prevalence of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) continues to rise worldwide, driven by factors such as improved survival rates and increased access to renal replacement therapy (RRT) such as hemodialysis, the burden of cardiovascular complications has also grown. Right ventricle (RV) dysfunction has emerged as a major contributor to morbidity and mortality among ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis. While Cardiac Magnetic Resonance imaging (CMR) is recognized as the gold standard for RV assessment, significant advancements in echocardiography, particularly 3D and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), have greatly improved the ability to evaluate the RV. Given its accessibility and enhanced capabilities, echocardiography has become an excellent and practical tool for assessing RV function. Aim of the work : To assess the prevalence and characterize the patterns of right ventricular dysfunction in patients with ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis.Methods: A total of 42 patients with ESRD who had undergone maintenance hemodialysis for a minimum of six months were enrolled prospectively at Alexandria main university and Almowasah hospitals. A thorough evaluation of RV function and its patterns was conducted using a multimodal echocardiographic protocol incorporating two-dimensional, three-dimensional and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE).