Effects of thrice-weekly in-center nocturnal vs. conventional hemodialysis on integrated backscatter of myocardial tissue

Ultrasonic tissue characterization with integrated backscatter (IBS) offers a promising method for the noninvasive assessment of myocardial fibrosis and contractile performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of thrice-weekly in-center nocturnal hemodialysis (INHD) and conventional hemodialysis (CHD) on myocardial fibrosis and left ventricular function in end-stage renal disease patients. Thirty-two INHD and 58 matched CHD patients were enrolled; baseline and 12-month measures of blood pressure (BP), serum calcium and phosphorus, echocardiographic left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and left ventricular function, the myocardial calibrated IBS (C-IBS), and systodiastolic cyclical variations in IBS (CV-IBS) were collected. The baseline characteristics were similar between groups, except that serum phosphorus and calcium × phosphorus were higher in the INHD group. At 12-month follow-up, there was a significant decrease in the mean C-IBS (-20.2 ± 3.7 to -28.1 ± 4.0 dB, P