Cardiac geometry, function, and remodeling patterns in patients under maintenance hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis treatment

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in patients with end-stage-kidney disease. Evidence on the possible echocardiographic differences between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD) is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate differences in left (LA) and right atrial (RA), left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) geometry, systolic and diastolic function in hemodialysis, and PD patients. Thirty-eight hemodialysis and 38 PD patients were matched for age, sex, and dialysis vintage. Two-dimensional and tissue-Doppler echocardiography, and lung ultrasound were performed during an interdialytic day in hemodialysis and before a programmed follow-up visit in PD patients. Vena cava diameter (11.09 ± 4.53 vs. 14.91 ± 4.30 mm; p < 0.001) was significantly lower in hemodialysis patients. Indices of LA, RA, LV, and RV dimensions were similar between the two groups. LVMi (116.91 [38.56] vs. 122.83 [52.33] g/m2 ; p = 0.767) was similar, but relative wall thickness was marginally (0.40 [0.14] vs. 0.45 [0.15] cm; p = 0.055) lower in hemodialysis patients. LV hypertrophy prevalence was similar between groups (73.7% vs. 71.1%; p = 0.798), but hemodialysis patients presented eccentric and PD patients concentric LVH. Regarding ventricular systolic function, stroke volume (p = 0.030) and cardiac output (p = 0.036) were higher in hemodialysis, while RV systolic pressure (RVSP) (20.37 [22.54] vs. 27.68 [14.32] mm Hg; p = 0.009) was higher in PD. No significant differences were evidenced in diastolic function indices and lung water excess between the two groups. A moderate association was noted between ultrasound B-lines score and LA volume index (r = 0.465, p < 0.001), RVSP (r = 0.431, p < 0.001), and E/e' ratio (r = 0.304, p = 0.009). Hemodialysis and PD patients present largely similar echocardiographic indices reflecting cardiac geometry, systolic, and diastolic function, but different patterns of abnormal LV remodeling.