PULMONARY HYPERTENSION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) comprises a group of clinical and pathophysiological entities with similar features but a variety of underlying causes. Many etiologies causing PH have been reported, and one of the background disease seen with patients with PH is chronic renal failure (CRF).Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in patient with chronic renal failure in predialysis state and in uremic patients undergoing hemodialysis Patients and methods: One hundred patients had complaining chronic renal failure. 50 patients on conservative treatment and 50 patients on hemodialysis evaluated clinically and by echocardiography for the presence of pulmonary hypertension Results: The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension >35 mmHg was found in 33% of patients with chronic renal failure. the patients with pulmonary hypertension had significantly lower albumin and arteriovenous fistula and long duration of dialysisConclusion: This study demonstrated that 42% of patients with chronic renal failure receiving regular hemodialysis have pulmonary hypertension and 24% of patients with chronic renal failure in predialysis have pulmonary hypertension.The presence of pulmonary hypertension was related to the low level of albumin, presence of arteriovenous fistula and long duration of hemodialysis. Keywords: Pulmonary hypertension, hemodialysis, predialysis, echocardiography.