Echocardiographic Right Ventricular Doppler Indices
Sa velocity, as an index of right ventricular systolic function, was reduced significantly among HD patients compared to PD and control groups. RV MPI s and PASP values were increased significantly in HD patients compared to patients on PD and controls (Table 4).
For the reliability of the TAPSE and Sa average measurement, the interclass correlation coefficient for the intraobserver variability were 0.963 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.925-0.980; P<0.001] and 0.940 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.917-0.957; P<0.001] respectively.
According to the examination of the RV dysfunction scores; while 30 patients in HD group had at least 1 point; 11 patients in PD group and 9 patients in control group had 1 point (Table 1).
Regarding the correlation analysis, RV dysfunction score of HD patients had weak correlations with LVOT diameter, Em and E\Em, among left heart echocardiographic parameters. Among clinical parameters, there was also a weak correlation between RV dysfunction score and the age of the patients. The RV dysfunction score also had statistically significant correlations with Ea velocity, Aa velocity and E\Ea, among right heart echocardiographic parameters (Table 5).
Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and right Aa velocity showed that HD treatment was an independent risk factor for developing RV dysfunction. (TableĀ 6).